A recent video titled “Bushmaster IMV in the Kursk Region, Russia. Australian Armor in Service with Air Assault Forces” offers a rare glimpse into the battlefield experiences of Ukrainian troops using Australian-donated Bushmaster vehicles. Released on 7 December by the Ukrainian government’s YouTube channel UNITED24, the feature highlights the Bushmaster’s role in missions against Russian forces in the Kursk Oblast.

In the video, Ukrainian drivers and commanders praise the Bushmaster for its design and functionality. Journalist Philip Malzahn, the interviewer, noted its elevated seating and comfort. “You sit quite high, you have a good view. Steering wheel on the right, obviously, but in war that doesn’t matter. It’s comfortable and it’s armoured,” he said. He emphasized the vehicle’s robust air conditioning system, which is essential for maintaining operability in extreme conditions.

Driver “Tur” shared his experience with the Bushmaster, highlighting its superior protection compared to older Soviet equipment. “The armour here is much better than the BTR-80s. You’re driving and all you hear is ‘ding, ding, ding’ and nothing else. Just muffled explosions somewhere, meaning the armour is good.” Tur also lauded the Bushmaster’s capacity, with up to 18 fully armed troops loading within seconds during critical missions.

Commander and gun operator “Solodki” described the advanced technology integrated into the Bushmaster. Equipped with a Belgian 7.62mm machine gun on an R400 remote weapon station by EOS, the vehicle’s thermal vision systems allow operations in day or night conditions. “You can set the module to cold or warm mode. Everything appears black, but human signatures stand out,” Solodki explained.

Since the conflict began, Australia has provided over 120 Bushmasters as part of its $1.5 billion aid to Ukraine. This assistance includes military training under Operation Kudu, air defence systems, and humanitarian support. The Bushmasters are primarily used to transport troops and provide cover, proving indispensable in Ukraine’s operations.

Australian Minister for Defence Personnel Matt Keogh reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to supporting Ukraine. “The Bushmasters are an amazing Australian technology. We’ve been very happy to provide Ukraine with these vehicles to assist in their efforts against Russia,” Keogh stated.

The video concludes with Malzahn’s observation: “Solodki and Tur are typical Ukrainian soldiers. Brave, humourous, motivated. They want the world to know the Bushmaster is now in good hands.”

Australian renters are facing an unprecedented squeeze on their living standards, driven by soaring rental costs and a stagnant economy. According to Domain, national median house rents surged by $180 per week, or 38%, from $470 to $650 between September 2021 and September 2024. Over the same period, national median unit rents skyrocketed by $210 per week, or 50%, from $420 to $630. These drastic increases have slashed tenants’ disposable incomes, curbing household consumption and tightening economic conditions further.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s November Household Spending Insights (HSI) survey revealed that tenant households have experienced the steepest decline in spending over the past year. This is a direct consequence of ballooning rental costs, which now consume a significant share of household incomes, leaving little room for discretionary spending.

Labor’s Economic Mismanagement Amplifies the Crisis

Labor’s inability to manage the economy has left Australian renters vulnerable to these financial pressures. Policymakers have pushed for high-density living solutions, advocating for apartment towers as a way to improve housing affordability. However, this approach has backfired. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that building small apartments is more expensive on a per-square-metre basis than constructing detached houses.

Michael Matusik, a prominent housing analyst, highlights the problem:

“Whilst all building costs have risen over the past five years, new apartment builds—regardless of type—have seen a rapid escalation in construction costs. There are many reasons why, including union-related thuggery, a shortage of skilled labour, and limited interest from tier one and two builders. Moreover, many new apartment projects sell off-plan but don’t actually get built.”

The prohibitive cost of constructing apartments has led to a collapse in construction rates, with annual approvals plummeting by 52% from their peak. Labor’s failure to address these systemic issues has only exacerbated the housing supply crisis, further fuelling rent hikes.

Population Growth Outpaces Housing Supply

Meanwhile, Australia’s population continues to swell. The ABS’s Q3 2024 national accounts show that the population grew by nearly 640,000 people over the year, driven by record levels of net arrivals. This surge in demand for housing, combined with stagnating construction, has created a perfect storm for renters.

A Deteriorating Economic Landscape

The broader economic picture is equally grim. The ABS’s Q3 national accounts indicate that annual real GDP growth collapsed to a mere 0.8%, the lowest rate since December 1991 outside of the pandemic. Real per capita GDP has now declined for seven consecutive quarters, marking the most prolonged decline on record.

Despite record public demand, which reached an unprecedented 27.5% of GDP in Q3, economic growth remains anaemic. Labor’s policies have failed to stimulate productivity or address structural inefficiencies, leaving Australians to bear the brunt of declining living standards.

A Call for Change

The sharp decline in renters’ living standards underscores the urgent need for economic reform. Labor’s focus on high-density housing has proven ineffective and costly, while population growth outpaces housing supply. Policymakers must prioritise reducing construction costs, incentivising housing development, and addressing broader economic stagnation to restore living standards for Australian renters.

GNE Advisory Helen Cook says nuclear energy implementation into Australia would require “enhancing” the existing framework. The Coalition promises to move ahead with seven domestic nuclear power plants. Ms Cook told Sky News host Chris Kenny that Australia has an advantage with its nuclear “starting point” being ahead of other countries around the world.

Kyiv Independent

Russian troops have suffered record-high casualties during combat operations in November and December, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Dec. 11 after receiving a report from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Despite staggering losses, Russian forces continue their rapid advance in eastern Ukraine, pushing back outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian defenders. Zelensky highlighted the unprecedented scale of manpower losses, particularly in November and December, emphasizing that the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors in Donetsk Oblast remain active battle zones.

On Dec. 1, Ukraine’s Defence Ministry reported that Russian losses in November amounted to 45,720 soldiers killed, wounded, or captured, alongside over $3 billion in equipment losses. The month also saw the single highest daily casualty count since the start of the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, with 2,030 enemy personnel lost in a day. Estimates from Ukraine and Western analysts place total Russian losses at 600,000 to 750,000 troops, though Moscow has not disclosed official figures.

While enduring heavy losses, Russian forces maintain an advantage on the battlefield, making gains toward key towns in Donetsk Oblast, such as Pokrovsk, and weakening Ukrainian defences near the Russian border in Kursk.

Zelensky also commended Ukrainian forces for recent strikes on Russian military and infrastructure targets. He specifically noted attacks on energy and fuel facilities, as well as military sites within Russian territory. Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed a successful strike on a Druzhba oil pipeline loading station near Bryansk, Russia, which resulted in a large-scale fire.

Defence Today

SYDNEY — While the United States, Japan, and Australia have formalized agreements and commitments to enhance their national security cooperation, independent studies reveal there is significant work ahead in training and operational integration to achieve seamless collaboration.

Two recent reports highlight the progress and challenges in these partnerships. The first, from the University of Western Australia (UWA), examines Japan-Australia relations, while the second, by the Carnegie Foundation, focuses on the Australia-US alliance. Together, they outline critical overlaps and potential pathways for trilateral cooperation among these Pacific partners.

Japan and Australia: Deepening Strategic Bonds

The UWA study, authored by Tom Corben of the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, delves into the evolving partnership between Tokyo and Canberra. Corben underscores the strategic importance of advancing beyond intelligence sharing and policy coordination to practical, operational collaboration. He recommends leveraging Australia’s expansive training and testing facilities and fully implementing the recent agreement to rotate Japanese marines through northern Australia.

While Japan and Australia share close ties with the US military, their bilateral defence relationship is relatively new, shaped by overcoming decades of historical mistrust stemming from World War II. Corben emphasizes the need to build an independent agenda that supports, but does not solely depend on, trilateral cooperation with the US.

“A robust and well-defined Australia-Japan defence relationship is essential to stand on its own two feet,” Corben notes. The success of this partnership hinges on harmonizing modernization agendas. However, legal and regulatory barriers, such as those stemming from AUKUS ITAR reforms, could deter Japanese firms from collaborating with Australia.

Key recommendations include:

• Enhancing submarine surveillance through joint deployments and intelligence sharing.
• Prioritizing bilateral exercises with Japanese forces stationed in Darwin before expanding to trilateral activities with the US.
• Collaborating on long-range strike weapon development, such as manufacturing Japanese-designed missiles in Australia, to mitigate US export restrictions.

Australia-US Alliance: Addressing Operational Gaps

The Carnegie Foundation report, edited by Evan Feigenbaum, highlights the potential for Australia and the US to forge a broader, more resilient alliance. However, this requires addressing fundamental challenges through candid self-assessment and significant reforms.

Feigenbaum stresses that both nations must align national strategies, update outdated regulations, and address Australian sovereignty concerns. With shrinking strategic warning times, accelerating alliance management and operational readiness is a pressing priority.

Critical gaps include the lack of historical precedence for dividing roles and missions in high-intensity Indo-Pacific conflicts. Addressing this requires:

• Annual meetings of contracting officers to streamline procurement strategies and share best practices.
• Greater integration of industrial bases to enhance defence production and innovation.
• Establishing a “Future Warfare Strategy Team” of strategists, military personnel, and researchers to develop contingency responses for scenarios such as a Taiwan blockade, Korean peninsula crisis, or increased Chinese coercion in the region.

The report also suggests leveraging entrepreneurial ecosystems and venture capital to drive defence innovation, similar to the Pentagon’s Defence Innovation Unit.

A Shared Vision for Trilateral Cooperation

Both reports underscore the urgency of building operational synergy and trust among the three Pacific partners. While progress has been made, achieving seamless collaboration will require strategic foresight, practical reforms, and a commitment to aligning national priorities. Together, these efforts could shape the future of security in the Indo-Pacific region.

ft.com

The Australian economy has been faltering under the Labor Party’s leadership, marking a period of economic stagnation and hardship for many citizens. Over the past two and a half years, Australians have faced deteriorating financial conditions, with key economic indicators painting a grim picture of the nation’s trajectory.

Slowest Growth Since 1991 Recession

Australia’s annual economic growth has been dismal, recording the slowest pace since the 1991 recession. Seven consecutive quarters of negative per capita growth underscore the troubling reality that economic activity has failed to keep up with population increases. This sluggish performance highlights a fundamental weakness in the Albanese government’s economic management.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) had forecast stronger growth, but the economy has fallen short of these expectations. While global challenges and inflationary pressures cannot be ignored, domestic policies and mismanagement have compounded these issues, leaving Australian households worse off.

Employment Growth Driven by Public Sector Expansion

Despite a strong labour market on the surface, the employment gains have largely been fuelled by government-funded initiatives such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the unemployment rate dropped to 3.9% in November, accompanied by a 52,600 increase in full-time jobs. However, this apparent success is heavily reliant on unsustainable public sector spending, rather than organic growth in the private sector.

The underemployment rate also saw a marginal decline, reaching 6.1%. Yet, these figures mask the economy’s overdependence on public expenditure, which reached a record-high share of GDP in Q3, as reported by the ABS. The Labor government’s approach of ramping up infrastructure investments and public consumption spending may provide short-term relief, but it burdens future generations with soaring debt levels.

Ballooning Public Debt

Analysis by Westpac reveals that federal and state government borrowing is set to almost double by 2024-25, reaching approximately 6% of GDP. This explosion in debt reflects a worrying trend of fiscal irresponsibility, as public spending accelerates without commensurate economic returns. While infrastructure and social programs like the NDIS are essential, the lack of strategic prioritization and efficiency in these investments raises serious concerns about long-term economic sustainability.

Soaring Migration Without Adequate Planning

Labor’s open-door migration policy has added to the strain on the economy. Initially forecasting net overseas migration (NOM) of 470,000 for FY23 and FY24, subsequent budgets revised this figure upwards significantly. Over one million net overseas migrants have arrived, exacerbating housing shortages, infrastructure congestion, and cost-of-living pressures.

While migration can drive economic growth, its benefits depend on robust planning and investment in housing, transport, and services. The Albanese government’s failure to adequately prepare for this influx has left many Australians struggling to find affordable housing and access basic services.

Australians Are Worse Off

The combination of slow economic growth, spiralling public debt, and uncoordinated migration policies has left Australians feeling the pinch. Cost-of-living pressures have intensified, wages have stagnated, and the dream of home ownership is slipping away for many.

The Labor government’s reliance on public spending to prop up the economy is a temporary fix that masks deeper structural issues. Without significant reforms to encourage private sector growth, streamline public expenditures, and manage migration effectively, Australia risks falling further behind in global competitiveness.

Conclusion

The past two and a half years under Labor leadership have highlighted critical failures in economic management. As the government continues to prioritise short-term fixes over sustainable strategies, Australians are left bearing the brunt of higher costs, fewer opportunities, and mounting debt. The nation needs a bold and visionary approach to steer the economy back on track and restore prosperity for all citizens.

In a remarkable display of wartime bravery, a small team of Australian commandos embarked on a daring mission as part of the z special unit into Japanese-occupied Singapore. Operating with exceptional military intelligence, these operatives navigated through enemy waters under cover of darkness, showcasing extraordinary historical courage as they prepared to strike at the heart of Japanese naval power in the pacific theatre operations.

In today’s video we examine this extraordinary covert operation that would leave an indelible mark on military history. We will also dive into the involvement of Australia’s first commandos as they cause terror behind Japanese lines during World War 2.

Photo Justin Chambers – Palletised cargo descends under parachute from a C-17A Globemaster III to the sea ice drop zone near Mawson Research Station, Antarctica.

Operation Southern Discovery is the Australian Defence Force contribution to the Australian Antarctic Program.

Operation Southern Discovery is an enduring peace-time activity in support of the Australian Antarctic Division and the Australian Antarctic Program (AAP). It includes Australia’s national interests, which are based on the region’s scientific, environmental, strategic and economic importance.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) involvement in the AAP is consistent with the Antarctic Treaty’s prohibition of any military activity other than the provision of personnel or equipment in support of scientific or other peaceful purposes.

Operation Southern Discovery covers approximately 7 per cent of the world’s surface and includes Antarctic locations, the Southern Ocean south of 60 degrees, the internationally recognised Australian exclusive economic zone of Macquarie Island as well as the territory of Heard Island and McDonald Island.

Operation Southern Discovery occurs annually, and is primarily, although not exclusively, in support during each Austral summer period (i.e. November to March).

ADF elements regularly allocated to Operation Southern Discovery include:

• Royal Australian Air Force aircraft providing a logistics air bridge from Hobart Airport to Wilkins Aerodrome in Antarctica.
• Royal Australian Navy hydrographic capabilities to ensure safety of marine navigation and assist scientific research.
• Royal Australian Navy meteorological capabilities providing weather forecasting and climate research and analysis.
• Australian Army geospatial survey capabilities assisting infrastructure projects and airfield surveys.

The Straits Times

Recent Chinese naval deployments in the East and South China Seas have prompted heightened alertness in Taiwan. However, a US military official characterized the activity as routine, stating that the current levels of Chinese naval manoeuvres align with past large-scale exercises.

Despite this reassurance, Taiwan’s defence ministry has described the recent deployments as the most significant in nearly three decades. This divergence in assessment underscores the contrasting perspectives on regional security and the evolving dynamics in the Taiwan Strait.

China has maintained silence regarding the recent naval exercises. In a departure from its usual practice of issuing statements, often with a nationalistic tone, the Chinese military has refrained from confirming the existence of any ongoing drills.

Observers anticipated that the deployments might be a response to Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s recent Pacific tour, which included stops aimed at strengthening Taiwan’s international relationships. However, the US official did not attribute the naval activity directly to Lai’s diplomatic engagements.

While the US official’s remarks suggest continuity rather than escalation in China’s military posture, Taiwan’s interpretation reflects its vulnerability and the growing complexity of its security environment. As such, the differing narratives signal the need for careful monitoring and clear communication to mitigate the risk of miscalculation in this sensitive region.