The Sydney Morning Herald logo

Richard Marles

Advertisement
Defence Minister Richard Marles (left) with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, during a joint press conference at Parliament House on Thursday.

Germany’s blunt candour about Trump highlights how timid Australia has become

The Albanese government believes it has little scope to express even the mildest criticism of Trump’s war against Iran. Not everyone feels so constrained.

  • Matthew Knott

Latest

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese holding a press conference on Saturday afternoon.

Albanese brushes off fuel warning, as government backs ‘business as usual’

A stark warning from the International Energy Agency has done little to push the government’s messaging on fuel demand, as Labor says supply is their focus.

  • Nick Newling
Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles with Indonesia’s Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin after their meeting in Jakarta.

Australia to turn WWII site on ‘valuable’ Indonesian island into training base

The move to redevelop the site into a joint training facility highlights the Indonesian president’s eagerness to cement regional relationships amid the rise of China and an unpredictable US under Trump.

  • Zach Hope and Karuni Rompies
Wedgetail gif

Lessons from the Iran crisis: Australia looking to ramp up missile production

The prime minister said Australia would be operating in a defensive capacity only. But one analyst says Iran would make no distinction.

  • Paul Sakkal and Brittany Busch
An RAAF Wedgetail, flying in formation with Australian and US jets.

Australia weighs sending ‘world-class’ surveillance aircraft to defend against Iran drones

The country’s most sophisticated military surveillance plane could be deployed to help Gulf nations defend against Iranian missile and drone attacks.

  • Matthew Knott
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on March 3.

US warns ‘the big one is coming’ amid conflicting signals over war’s duration

US President Donald Trump declared the war might go “far longer” than his previous estimate of “four to five weeks” and did not rule out sending ground forces into Iran.

  • David Crowe
Advertisement
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during question time on Tuesday.

‘Frightening’: Labor luminary hits out at Australian support for Iran strikes

The former foreign minister’s comments came after opposition frontbencher Andrew Hastie said he was comfortable with the US demonstrating its strength as a deterrence to adversarial nations.

  • Matthew Knott and Nick Newling
Australian girls in al-Roj camp on Wednesday.

ISIS brides prepared to go to jail to get their children to Australia

ASIO has cleared this cohort of security concerns but the government still insists it will not bring back anyone – women or children.

  • Michael Bachelard and Andrew Probyn
A general view of the Victoria Barracks on St Kilda Road in Melbourne.

It’s well past time to put Defence’s surplus land to good use

Decades of reviews have produced little action. It is hoped this latest audit will prompt a response that will help ease the housing crisis.

  • The Age's View
Victoria Barracks

‘Not surplus land or disposable asset’: Labor MP says Victoria Barracks should be saved

The MP has broken ranks to urge Defence Minister Richard Marles to keep Sydney’s Victoria Barracks in public hands. 

  • Alexandra Smith