The United Nations (UN) Charter is an international treaty that is binding on all 193 member states. The current geopolitical environment and major power competition is challenging the UN Security Council (UNSC) as it struggles to uphold its obligations under the UN Charter. This paper outlines shifting alliances, reform, UNSC resolutions and UN challenges.

Increasing tension and uncertainty in the strategic environment and the changing nature of alliances and global conflict has triggered a rapid and significant increase in national defence spending worldwide. This paper outlines global defence spending and Australia’s defence spending. Despite a dire strategic outlook, there appears to be little public appetite for greater defence spending.

This guide provides some brief background information on national measures to build cybersecurity and cybersafety and combat cybercrime, and includes links to relevant websites.

On 16 October 2017, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly elected fifteen new members to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council, including Australia for the first time.

This paper provides a summary of each of Australia’s defence white papers issued between 1976 and 2013 and seeks to draw out common themes that emerge in some or all of them. Executive summary Australia published defence white papers in 1976, 1987, 1994, 2000, 2009 and 2013 and a new white paper is expected in...