03 February, 2012
Ministerial indecision blamed for sub burden
The plan for a replacement to the Collins class submarines to be designed, built and tested by 2025 will not happen until at least 2032, Rear-Admiral Rowan Moffitt, the head of the future submarine program, has said. ASPI's Andrew Davies said the delays were "due to decisions not being made by government - but, no the other hand, I don't believe the quality of information needed to make a decision has been available... The Government has not made obtaining that information a priority."
Canberra Times, p8
Canberra Times online
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02 February, 2012
Carr sinks cheap subs
New Defence Materiel Minister Kim Carr said yesterday no existing models of submarines from overseas were suitable for the Navy because they would need to be modified to meet Australia's defence needs. Senator Carr's comments came as an Australian Strategic Policy Institute paper, Should Australia build warships?, warned no credible case had been made for continuing any naval construction in Australia. The paper said that with $40 billion in navy vessels planned over the next 20 years, there are few proven economic or security benefits and substantial costs to building military vessels in Australia. A 2009 ASPI paper which estimated 12 European subs could be bought for as little as $9 billion compared with $36 billion for an Australian design and build sparked a fierce debate in the defence community.
Australian Financial Review, p11
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01 February, 2012
Navy plans questioned
Australia will probably be throwing away billions of dollars if it builds new naval vessels here as part of a misguided attempt to retain a local industry, according to infrastructure economist Henry Ergas. Mr Ergas co-wrote Should Australia build warships? with ASPI's Mark Thomson and Andrew Davies.
Sydney Morning Herald, p2
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See also: "$36b to splash on subs", Courier Mail, p20
"'Billions could be lost' by building new subs", Sydney Morning Herald, p4
"Cost warning on building warships", The Age, p5
"Subs project long range", Adelaide Advertiser, p11
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01 February, 2012
Our vulnerable north
While Paul Dibb is relieved that Defence has got its eye back on the ball, Hugh White is unconvinced that we need to be doing more in the north west than we are currently doing.
The proposal to boost Australia's military presence in the north will pose a new personnel challenge for the ADF.
"Just imagine you are posted to a major ADF facility up there and you look across the fence and see people getting paid three times as much working for Rio Tinto," says Andrew Davies of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
The Australian, p13
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01 February, 2012
Defence plan a potential minefield
Moving bases to defend resources in the nation's north will be expensive, writes Andrew Davies.
Australian Financial Review, p55
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01 February, 2012
Peter Jennings to be the new head of ASPI
Stephen Smith, Minister for Defence announced the appointment of Mr Peter Jennings as the new Executive Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
Australian Government press release
NineMSN
ToowoombaNews.com.au
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31 January, 2012
A better understanding of Indonesia will forge closer ties
This opinion piece by Damien Kingsbury points out that at a time of unprecedented good relations with Indonesia, Australia is now looking to its future. Indonesia's shift towards a more open democratic framework has allowed the previously troubled relationship to stabilise, but its future remains uncertain, especially over the medium to longer term. Damien Kingsbury is the author of Two steps forward, one step back: Indonesia's arduous path of reform.
Sydney Morning Herald online
The Age online
Brisbane Times online
WA Today
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31 January, 2012
Defence posture plan could face infrastructure problems
ASPI's Andrew Davies says Defence's plan to have a stronger military presence along Western Australia's north west coast in order to protect mining assets might be easier said than done because the mining industry has a monopoly on some types of infrastructure in the state's north.
ABC 891 (Adelaide) - Newsreader - Duration 0:50
ABC North West WA - Newsreader - Duration 0:56
ABC 666 (Canberra) - Newsreader - Duration 0:52
ABC 720 (Perth) - Newsreader - Duration 0:52
ABC 774 (Melbourne) - Newsreader - Duration 0:55
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30 January, 2012
$500b to be cut from US defence budget
Half a trillion will be cut from the US defence budget, but ASPI's Andrew Davies says the good news for Australia is that the Asia-Pacific will remain a priority.
ABC News 24 - The World - Duration 2:25
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30 January, 2012
Military and mines in Australia's north west
Andrew Davies of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute speaks with ABC News 24's Kim Landers about a higher degree of visibility of the Australian Defence Force in the north west. Davies says more than anything, the issue is about building confidence in the resources industry that the ADF could be there if needed.
ABC News 24 - Afternoon Live - Duration 2:01
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