This occasional paper seeks to address the question - how should Australia address foreign influence that falls short of interference, but is nonetheless inconsistent with Australian values, interests or sovereignty?

The People’s Republic of China's (PRC) overseas investment in critical infrastructure poses a significant challenge to Australia and to other nations that don’t share China’s strategic interests. This report argues that Australia should adopt a whole-of-nation approach to safeguarding the resilience of critical infrastructure in...

This report explains China’s domestic and international ambitions in developing a central bank digital currency (CBDC), reviews the main technical framework of Digital Currency/Electronic Payment (DCEP) and discusses how the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) and private firms are working to implement it. The report...

The swearing-in of Joe Biden as 46th President of the United States will signal a reset in the strategic relationship between Australia and its US partner. In this discussion paper, Allan Behm argues that Australia will need to do its own thinking, reinvesting in both...

The U.S. needs to make fundamental changes to its security efforts in the Persian/Arab Gulf and the Middle East. In this document, the author discusses the wide range of options available to the U.S, and how it can make progress in many areas in relation...

Defence thinkers routinely identify Australia as one of the safest countries in the world. However, Australia’s future is likely to be more dangerous and troubling than its past has been. This paper discusses the comparison between Swiss and Australian approaches to threatening strategic environments.

This document outlines the Australian government's ambitions and aspirations, and establishes the overall science and technology (S&T) priorities for Defence. This strategy seeks to ensure the national S&T enterprise is nurtured and leveraged to achieve scale in the resources that are applied to research problems.

This discussion paper examines the 2020 Defence Strategic Update and the accompanying Force Structure Plan and Defence Science and Technology Strategy 2030. The context for their discussion and recommendations is the strategic transition that Australia is undergoing and in the unfolding impact of the COVID...

This report argues that America's future alliance system will rely on both renewal of existing bedrock structures, and the addition of new purpose-built organisations and enduring coalitions, that focus on addressing key challenges in democratic institutions, supply chains, technology governance and other emerging issues.

This review comprehensively examined the effectiveness of the legislative framework governing the National Intelligence Community, and prepared findings and recommendations for reforms. The review was supported by a Secretariat in the Attorney-General's Department (Australia).