by Marcus Hellyer | May 28, 2024 | Defence Budget, Policy, Strategy & Capability
These questions are based on the information contained in the 2024 National Defence Statement (NDS), 2024 Integrated Investment Program (IIP) and 2024-25 Defence portfolio budget statements (PBS). Note: In this essay, ‘this year’ refers to the 2024-25 budget year....
by Michael Shoebridge | Apr 24, 2023 | China, Defence Budget, Strategy & Capability, Uncategorized
While there’s only a single paragraph devoted to it down on page 23, it’s clear that the Defence Strategic Review and the billions of dollars the government will spend on Defence over the next ten years is all about grappling with Chinese power in the Indo Pacific....
by Michael Shoebridge | Apr 30, 2026 | Featured, Policy
Royal Commissioner Virginia Bell faces her first test on Thursday with the reception of her interim report on the horrific Bondi shootings. It’ll have been a rushed effort to get the core information needed to deliver this first report by the April 30 deadline. That’s...
by Marcus Hellyer | Apr 29, 2026 | AUKUS, Featured
Unlike the Australian Department of Defence, the United States’ Department of Defense (or War, depending on where you stand in the whole culture wars thing) publishes real data that allows Congress and the public to assess the Department’s performance in spending the...
by Michael Shoebridge | Apr 22, 2026 | Defence Budget, Featured, Strategy & Capability
We’re meant to be celebrating the Albanese Government’s amazing new plan to adapt the Australian military to the drone era, with Minister Pat Conroy telling us yesterday about an apparent $7 billion the government is investing in counter drone systems. But...
by Chris Mills | Apr 21, 2026 | Defence Budget, Featured, Indo Pacific, Policy, Strategy & Capability
Australia’s strategic environment has deteriorated faster than its defence posture has adapted. The issue is no longer simply whether Australia is spending enough on defence, it is whether it is investing in the capabilities required to withstand the kind of conflict...
by Marcus Hellyer and Michael Shoebridge | Apr 17, 2026 | AUKUS, Defence Budget, Featured, Podcasts, Policy, Strategy & Capability
The Grumpy Strategists cover Australia’s new defen | RSS.com The Grumpy Strategists respond to Australia’s defence minister, Richard Marles, discussing and releasing the ‘new’ 2026 Defence Strategy and investment plan. Marcus sees the spirit of...
by Marcus Hellyer | Apr 17, 2026 | Defence Budget, Featured, Policy, Strategy & Capability, Uncategorized
There’s something very familiar about the Albanese government’s new 2026 National Defence Strategy, launched yesterday by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles. It continues the trajectory first set out in the previous Coalition government’s 2020...
by Michael Shoebridge | Apr 16, 2026 | Defence Budget, Featured, Indo Pacific, Policy, Strategy & Capability
Having read the 215 pages of the Australian Government’s revised strategy and investment plan, two things stand out as particularly important. The first is the almost complete absence of engagement with the changed America that is now our major ally. ...
by Marcus Hellyer | Apr 10, 2026 | AUKUS, China, Defence Budget, Featured, Policy, Strategy & Capability
Since my planned birdwatching trip to western New South Wales was cancelled due the current fuel crisis temporary supply uncertainties caused by unpatriotic Australians panic buying and I didn’t want to spend Easter solely doomscrolling conducting deep research into...
by Marcus Hellyer and Michael Shoebridge | Apr 9, 2026 | Defence Budget, Featured, Podcasts, Strategy & Capability
America’s wartime defense budget: $1.5 trillion to | RSS.com Back in the SAA Bunker deep in the Brindabellas, Marcus & Michael declare energy independence (okay, thanks to government subsidies) and ponder the details of the Trump Administration’s new...
by Michael Shoebridge and Marcus Hellyer | Apr 1, 2026 | AUKUS, Featured, Podcasts, Policy, Strategy & Capability, Ukraine
The Gulf collective defence exercise: a war no one | RSS.com Marcus calls into the Grumpy Strategists’ Brindabella bunker with unwelcome news on more diesel supplies. After this disappointment, the Grumpies ponder the mystery of the Gulf War – a war...
