maritime strategy | Jennifer Parker

The Indian Ocean is no longer secondary

22 May 2026 | Jennifer Parker & Dr Troy-Lee Brown *Originally published on 22 May by the Perth US Asia Centre The Iran war is again exposing a reality Australia has long overlooked: the Indian Ocean sits at the centre of the nation’s economic and strategic security. Image: United States forces prepare to board an oil tanker in the Indian Ocean in early February 2026 after the vessel violated a U.S. embargo of sanctioned ships in the Caribbean. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF WAR Key takea

Maritime gaps remain in Australia’s defence

22 April 2026 | Jennifer Parker *Originally published in Lowy's The Interpreter on 22 April 2026 Image: HMAS Canberra and HMAS Warramunga while on deployment on the East Coast of Australia (Defence images) In 2023, the Australian government adopted a “strategy of denial” to guide defence planning, defined as an “defensive approach designed to stop an adversary from succeeding in its goal to coerce states through force, or the threatened use of force, to achieve dominance.” Th

A Sound Strategy, Still Underfunded

20 April 2026 | Jennifer Parker *Originally published in the Australian Financial Review on 16 April 2026 Does Australia have the capability to defend itself and protect its maritime lifelines? Under the current funding profile, the answer is no, we would be relying on the United States to do it for us. The second iteration of the National Defence Strategy arrives against the backdrop of conflict in the Middle East already affecting Australia’s fuel, fertiliser, plastics sup

Australia depends on seaborne trade. AUKUS is our best plan to protect that

Jennifer Parker | 1 April 2026 *Originally published in the Sydney Morning Herald 31 March 2026 Image: The Astute-class submarine HMS Anson arrives at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia for a scheduled Submarine Maintenance Period (SMP). Australians feeling the sting of high fuel prices at the bowser, or seeing supplies struggle to reach regional communities, are being reminded just how dependent Australia is on the arrival of supplies by sea. That dependence sits at the cen

A Wake up Call on Australia's Maritime Vulnerability

Jennifer Parker | 20 March 2026 *Originally published in the Australian Financial Review on 19 March 2026 The conflict in the Middle East has sharpened concerns about Australia’s fuel supplies. Increasing stockpiles is necessary, but does not deal with the lack of coherent maritime strategy. Image: HMAS Warramunga sails while the ship’s helicopter MH60-R call sign “Fenrir” conducts a sortie off the coast of Queensland. Defence images. Paranoia about fuel supplies has suddenly

Beyond AUKUS: The maritime strategy Australia needs

4 November 2025 | Jennifer Parker *Originally published in the Lowy's The Interpreter 4 November 2025 Image: Grappling with how to defend a continent spanning 7.7 million square kilometres can seem overwhelming (Jake Badior/Defence.gov.au) There is growing concern about the shifting geopolitical environment, the increasing use of military force to settle disputes, and what this means for Australia’s future security and prosperity. Grappling with how to defend a continent span