Release of an Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) Policy Briefing on North Korea

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute today released Danger and Opportunity: Australia and the North Korea Crisis. 

North Korea’s nuclear weapons program has created an acute policy challenge for the international community. Australia has significant interests in the crisis in North Korea, in the way it develops, and in the longer-term implications for the balance of power in the Western Pacific. 

This paper examines the crisis on the Korean Peninsula from an Australian perspective, and explores the longer-term issues underlying the current situation. It traces the history of the crisis, analyses the interests of the major regional players, and outlines three broad scenarios for how the crisis could unfold. 

It also sets out the following possible ways in which Australia could play a part:

Creative diplomacy
Opening the windows
Reducing tension
Preparing for the worst
Reaping benefits

To find a copy of the report go to ASPI’s web site: http://www.aspi.org.au

Media Release – Minister of Defence

The Government has appointed three new members to the Council of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Defence Minister Robert Hill announced today. 

The new council members are Alan Dupont, Paul McClintock and retired Brigadier Jim Wallace. 

Dr Dupont is a director of the Australian National University’s Asia-Pacific security program. He is a highly respected and influential defence analyst and commentator on strategic issues, with particular expertise in Asia-Pacific security issues and transnational threats. 

Mr McClintock will bring to the council an impressive mix of private and public sector experience. Mr McClintock’s extensive industry experience, including his strong background in investment banking, will be invaluable to the Board in its consideration of defence industry matters. He has also served as Secretary to Federal Cabinet, a position which saw him manage the business program of the National Security Committee of Cabinet. He has an established record of providing sound, high-level advice on matters of public policy. He has served on the boards of a number of private companies and public authorities including the Sydney Ports Authority and the Central Sydney Area Health Board.

Brig Wallace served with distinction in the Australian Army for many years after graduating from Duntroon, the British Army Staff College and the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies. He commanded the Special Air Service Regiment and the Army’s mechanised brigade, and served with the United Nations in the Middle East. He is a respected commentator on defence and strategic matters and will bring a valuable perspective to the Council as a recently serving and highly credible senior Australian Defence Force officer. 

ASPI is an independent centre of excellence created by the Government in 2000 and funded by Defence. The ASPI Council is responsible for the organisation and operations of the Institute. These appointments take the Council up to its full complement of 12 members. 

“The new members are well qualified to serve on the ASPI Council,” Senator Hill said. 

“Each will make a significant contribution to Government decisions and public understanding of strategic and defence issues, particularly in these uncertain times.” 

On 20 May this year, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) released New Neighbour, New Challenge: Australia and the Security of East Timor. A central finding in the report was that one of East Timor’s greatest security concerns would come from within its own borders. Accordingly, the report makes a series of recommendations that urges a greater international focus on law and order and justice issues. 

“…East Timor needs to overcome pressing internal security and law and order problems. The new Government in Dili does not have the capacity to meet these problems. Australia’s current program of aid to East Timor is doing little to help in these sectors, and other donors are doing no better. If we fail to help effectively, Australia’s security interests in a stable East Timor and a peaceful region will be at risk: East Timor may become a failed state, and a source of continuing tension between Australia and Indonesia. 

East Timor’s pressing security problems include organised gangs challenging central authority, smuggling and other border security issues, the latent threat that militia will resume infiltration from West Timor, and the risk that security forces will be drawn into politics.” 

ASPI would like to remind media outlets that this publication, and its executive summary, are both available online free of charge. The URL is: 

http://www.aspi.org.au/timor_pub/index.html 

ASPI’s Strategy and International Program, headed by Dr Elsina Wainwright, prepared the Report.

Release of an Australian Strategic Policy Report

ASPI Program Director for Budget and Management, Dr Mark Thomson today released Setting a Course for Australia’s Naval Shipbuilding and Repair Industry. 

This document addresses the key defence industry issue confronting the Government today: How should they apply their new ‘strategic approach’ to defence industry to the Naval Shipbuilding and Repair Sector. 

In releasing the publication, Dr Thomson said that: 

‘This first-time application of the new defence industry policy will have profound repercussions for all of Australian Defence industry for years to come.’ 

‘The Government’s new approach seeks to sustain critical industry capabilities through long-term partnerships with selected large companies rather than continue with open competition in all cases.’ 

‘There is a clear danger that in the absence of competition a single Australian naval shipbuilder would become complacent, bureaucratic and inefficient – in effect a privately owned Government shipyard.’ 

‘We do not think that the Government should abandon open competition for the prime contracts for shipbuilding projects.’ 

‘Instead, there are five clear steps the Government should take to improve the way Defence works with the sector, and to enhance the way industry supports Navy: 

Let commercial forces shape the sector. The Government is poorly placed to second-guess commercial forces about the shape of the industry, and if things go wrong it runs the risk of owning the solution – literally. 

Smooth the shipbuilding workload. The current planned bunching of ship acquisitions commencing near the end of the decade could be much improved to remove another boom and bust cycle. 

Reform Naval repair and maintenance. The support of the fleet needs to be underpinned by properly funded long-term contracts that make maximal use of industry capability. 

Sell ASC to the highest competent bidder. This would allow new players to enter the industry which might be able to bring non-defence work to the firm and new blood to the sector as a whole. 

Avoid Australian-unique requirements. The best way to reduce risks, contain costs and ensure timely delivery of projects is to avoid unnecessary Australian-unique equipment solutions.’ 

To find a copy of the Report go to ASPI’s website: http://www.aspi.org.au after 12:00 noon today.

Release of an Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) Occasional Paper

One of the big issues for governments to consider in the wake of September 11 is how to manage the consequences of mass terrorism, and especially an attack with biological, chemical, radiological or nuclear weapons. ASPI today released a paper that addresses this issue, entitled Recovering from Terror Attacks: A Proposal for Regional Cooperation. The paper proposes ways in which governments in the Asia Pacific might cooperate to improve their abilities to manage the consequences of a mass terror attack. 

ASPI commissioned Professor Ross Babbage to write this paper, the first of ASPI’s Occasional Paper series. Professor Babbage first raised the idea of regional cooperation at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) conference of Asia Pacific Defence Ministers and other strategic thinkers and commentators in Singapore in May-June 2002-the idea generated a lot of interest among the conference participants. 

Asia Pacific governments have responded to the threat from international terrorism by focusing on the ‘front-end’ challenges of detection, apprehension and prosecution. More could be done to address the ‘back-end’ challenges- of incident management and recovery. 

A major terrorist attack using weapons of mass destruction could claim thousands of lives, and swamp a government’s capacity to manage the attack and recover from it. An enormous amount of coordination is required, from hospitals to police organisations to water management authorities. There is a strong case that regional cooperation and resource pooling should occur. 

ASPI’s aim in publishing Professor Babbage’s discussion paper is to see whether there might be scope to develop the proposal to the point that governments in the region would be prepared to place it on their agenda. 

Professor Babbage said that: 

‘The types of terrorist strikes that may be launched in the Asia Pacific in the future could be so catastrophic as to be beyond the immediate capacities of local authorities to manage alone.’ 

‘Asia Pacific governments … have a strong interest in putting in place an agreement that would facilitate close cooperation in preparing for, and in pooling resources to respond to, any future major terrorist attacks in the region.’ 

‘In the event of a country being struck by a major terrorist attack, each state could agree to assist, within its available means, through the provision of specialist search and rescue teams, medical specialists and facilities, engineering specialists and other capabilities.’