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Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has a message for the people who want her to be prime minister: Calm down, she’s still learning the job.

Five days after Australians voted in the Voice referendum, she is still reeling from the sudden change from obscure first-term senator for the Northern Territory to someone whose campaign appearances saw her getting rock star-like receptions around the country.

Admitting she is “looking exhausted” and ready for a holiday to visit in her in-laws in Scotland, Price took time this week to sit down in her Parliament House office to reflect on the whirlwind past few months, why people have responded to her, her relationship with the ALP, and what made her give “that answer” at the National Press Club.

“I’m still getting my head around it,” she says of the demands on her.

“My family are like: ‘Everybody wants you – we just want you back. We just want you to ourselves, everyone else has had the opportunity to have you’.”

She pauses.

“It’s quite — like, don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderful and it’s humbling and it’s incredible — but there is a sense of at times getting pulled. Some people want to shake my hand then pull me toward them and want to hug me.”

There is an openness about Price that is unsettling to a journalist used to politicians who consider their answers carefully.

In a second she can switch from joking about herself to talking with a deadly seriousness about what drives her.

Price, 42, understands that the chord she has struck with many Australians is partly about her but also about relief that someone can’t be shut down and is finally saying the things people think.

“I think I’m a particular passionate person. I’m led by reality, I think,” she says.

“Woke culture and identity politics and all of these constructs have been thrust upon us as Australian people when our nature is to be straightforward and not bullshitters.

“I think Australians will have been hungry for that, looking for that again.

“A lot people want what’s best for us all and they don’t like called racist when they’re not. They don’t like being bullied and I think a lot of people have felt that way, and to hear someone who’s resonating with them and see that person at such a time when they were needing it most … I think that’s why there’s been that sort of reaction.”

Inside the conservative political ecosystem it had been predicted long before she arrived in Canberra that Price was going to shake things up.

But without the referendum campaign she wouldn’t have become a household name in the short time she has been in the Senate.

One senses that Price understands that her time has arrived before she is fully ready.

Her next step, she says, will be working with South Australian Liberal Senator Kerrynne Liddle to fight for a royal commission into the sexual abuse of Indigenous children.

“We have been voted into federal parliament to do our job and to do our job effectively, and that for me is what my focus is and I’m in a prime position to do that,” she says.

“The whole leadership thing? I’m not here to try to climb a ladder, I’m here to fight to bring about real change away from what we’ve been regurgitating over the last three decades.”

She laughs.

“The whole country seems to be saying: ‘Jacinta for Prime Minister! Jacinta for Prime Minister!’ but I’m like: ‘Actually you know what, I still need to learn the job’!”

More seriously, when Julian Leeser resigned from Peter Dutton’s frontbench to support the Voice, Price wasn’t sure she was ready for the job of opposition spokeswoman for Indigenous affairs.

“I’m always respectful of understanding there are those who been here longer than me and who have worked hard and have ambition and that sort of thing, so I took a long time to consider that,” she said.

Indeed, so unlikely did her elevation seem to Price she even rang up Dutton to ask: “Am I being considered for this” before being persuaded it needed to happen now, as “in this particular environment right now with the referendum coming” it “would put me in a stronger position to argue my case”.

Price was under no illusions about the difficulty about getting her message out in a media she believes is hostile to her and her message.

“I know they’re still out to get me, which is why I think Warren Mundine was so pissed off at the end of the press conference — because I’ve been fighting to highlight the needs of our most marginalised and yet the shallowness of some of the press … they’re far more interested in gotcha moments. It’s like they’re all: ‘I want to be the person who brings down Jacinta Price’. That’s how it feels.”

That hostility between Price and the media was on full display in September when she addressed the National Press Club in Canberra.

Asked about ongoing negative effects of colonisation on Indigenous people, Price seemed to reflect for a minute before answering that as far she was concerned there were none.

The answer triggered days of coverage. Why had she done that?

“Part of it was that frustration that: ‘Here we go again, they want to paint us as victims’. This is the narrative that they’ve pushed on us as Aboriginal Australians and I wanted to be completely honest and to say ‘well, actually, there’s a hell of lot that colonisation has brought that has improved our lives and in general terms. What we don’t appreciate enough is the efforts that are put in to improving the lives of Indigenous Australians despite what has occurred in our country’s history’.

“No one is out to bring Aboriginal people down and to use colonisation to do that.

“That’s the nonsense that is fed to Australians and so I just had to tell the truth really.”

Her views haven’t endeared her to some Labor senators, especially Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

“There’s couple that are nice and respectful obviously. There are some that just wouldn’t give you the time of day basically. I’ve had very little to do with Penny Wong. She didn’t bother shaking my hand. She split from the chamber once I had finished my speech.”

Five days after the referendum vote, she says Labor still hasn’t got the message: “They have been unwilling to accept the outcome. They’re still not reading the room, to their detriment, and not accepting responsibility for their failure throughout this process.”

As for the Indigenous leaders who went to ground after issuing a statement on Saturday in which they called themselves the “true owners of the country” and announcing a week of silence, Price thinks they should get over themselves.

“I just feel like, for those of us who are doing all right for ourselves, we should be putting our focus — and understanding there is always someone worse off than us — we should be placing our focus on improving their lives and not making it about us,” she says.

You know time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years.  It seems like yesterday that I was young, just married, and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all those years went.

 I know that I lived them all.  I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.

But here it is … the winter of my life, and it catches me by surprise.  How did I get here so fast?  Where did the years go and where did my youth go?  I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those “older people” were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like.

 But here it is … my friends are retired and getting grey … they move slower, and I see an older person in myself now.   Some are in better and some worse shape than me …  but I see the great change … not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant … but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we’d be.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day!  And taking a nap is not a treat anymore … it’s mandatory!  Cause if I don’t on my own free will … I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so … now I enter this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!!   But at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I’m not sure how long it will last … this I know, that when it’s over on this earth … it’s over.   A new adventure will begin!

Yes, I have regrets.  There are things I wish I hadn’t done … things I should have done, but indeed, there are also many things I’m happy to have done.   It’s all in a lifetime.

So, if you’re not in your winter yet … let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think.  So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life, please do it quickly!  Don’t put things off too long!!  Life goes by quickly.  So, do what you can TODAY, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!

 You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life … so, LIVE FOR TODAY and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember … and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!

“Life” is a GIFT to you.  The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after.    Make it a fantastic one.

Remember:  “It is Health that is real Wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”

Your kids are becoming you … but your grandchildren are perfect!

Going out is good … coming home is even better!

You forget names … but it’s OK, because other people forgot they even knew you!!!

You realize you’re never going to be really good at anything … especially golf.

The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don’t care to do them anymore.
 
You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than in bed. It’s called “pre-sleep”.

You miss the days when everything worked with just an “ON” and “OFF” switch.

You tend to use more 4 letter words … “what?” …”when?”…???

Now that you can afford expensive jewellery, it’s not safe to wear it anywhere.

 You notice everything they sell in stores is “sleeveless?!”

What used to be freckles are now liver spots.

Everybody seems to whisper.

You have 3 sizes of clothes in your cupboard … 2 of which you will never wear.

But “Old” is good in some things:
Old Songs, Old movies … and best of all, our dear … OLD FRIENDS!!

It’s Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind of Life You Have Lived.

Stay well, “OLD FRIENDS!”

HAMAS’S surprise ambush was an intelligence, political and military disaster for Israel, which declared it “national tragedy.

Israel’s disproportionate response may also ultimately prove too difficult to justify despite the best efforts of its international propaganda arm and unquestioning supporters.

Inevitably in Middle Eastern affairs it will escalate into an international tragedy.

The UN estimates total casualties at 4200, including too many children, women and other non-military personal on both sides who have become “collateral damage”.

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Australian Defence History, Policy and Veterans Issues (targetsdown.blogspot.com)

If you live in Queensland this petition may be of interest to you.

Click this link to open the E-Petition: https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Petitions/Petition-Details?id=3974

This E-Petition closes on 28/1/2024.

The Ukrainian military has recently acquired its initial batch of M39 missiles from the 1990s era. In a bold move, they launched three of these missiles at a Russian helicopter facility in Berdyansk, located in southern Ukraine. This night raid dispersed numerous grenade-sized submunitions over the airbase, leading to the destruction of an estimated nine helicopters.

Now, envision these steel-and-tungsten submunitions targeting an air-defence unit comprising delicate radars, accompanying vehicles, launch pads, and missiles. As U.S. Army Major Carter Rogers highlighted in his 1991 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College thesis, the ATACMS (of which the M39 is a type) can effectively neutralize or diminish various targets, notably air defence systems and radars.

Weighing two tons and spanning 13 feet, the M39 is a ballistic missile powered by a solid rocket motor. Its warhead houses 950 submunitions. Deployed from either tracked or wheeled launch systems, the missile can reach destinations up to 100 miles away using its inertial guidance.

The M39’s intended purpose for neutralizing enemy air defences is evident in its design. A missile designed for targets like bunkers would usually carry a singular, large warhead instead of numerous submunitions. Notably, during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the U.S. Army’s maiden combat use of an M39 targeted an Iraqi S-75 air-defence unit, posing a threat to coalition aircraft. As Major Rogers observed, the ATACMS strike was effective, demonstrating the system’s precision and lethality, despite its relatively new and unproven doctrine.

Currently, Ukrainian forces deploy a diverse range of weapons for the Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) mission. These include the 40-mile range M30/31 rockets launched by M270 tracked systems and wheeled High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), which also launch the longer-range M39 missiles. In their arsenal are also explosive-laden drones with first-person views and Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29 jets that deploy American AGM-88 radar-seeking missiles. For deeper SEAD operations targeting advanced S-400 systems in Crimea, Ukraine has employed modified Neptune anti-ship missiles.

The M39, in a SEAD role, bridges the gap between smaller drones and the potent anti-ship missiles. While a drone attack is considered opportunistic and causes limited damage, a Neptune missile strike is more strategic, planned, and devastating. The M39, when launched from 100 miles away, can target segments of the Russian air defence infrastructure located significantly behind frontline areas without necessitating a large-scale, specialized operation for its suppression.

In many respects, the M39’s capabilities might parallel the air-launched AGM-88. However, one key distinction is the relative safety of deploying an ATACMS missile compared to an aerial SEAD mission. While Russian forces have downed many of Ukraine’s pre-war fleet of Su-27s and MiG-29s, none of Ukraine’s army-operated M270s and HIMARS launchers have been destroyed thus far.

Veterans have unearthed potential evidence suggesting possible mismanagement and “systematic abuse” of the Australian honours and awards system, which might have led to the incorrect bestowing of “distinguished service” medals upon senior officers for several years. This list includes the present Defence Force Chief, General Angus Campbell.

These revelations came after some veterans, already upset about the potential stripping of Afghanistan war medals due to alleged misdeeds, decided to delve deep into the legitimacy of the awards conferred upon their top-ranking officers.

Newly accessed documents and communications suggest that since 1996, the Defence Department had been aware of Distinguished Service Crosses (DSCs) being possibly wrongfully awarded to senior officers who weren’t actively serving “in action.”

The veterans are specifically concerned about the DSCs and other accolades given to the leaders of Joint Task Force 663 (CJTF), the central command for Australia’s Middle East operations during the Afghanistan conflict.

A former Special Forces operative, referred to as “Marty” for anonymity purposes related to his current job, remarked on the gravity of their findings. “This issue requires immediate attention,” he expressed. He emphasized that they’re not against recognitions but want the criteria to be appropriate and not just serve as mere attendance badges.

The concerned group reached out to Defence Minister Richard Marles this year, urging him to instruct the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal (DHAAT) to investigate the matter surrounding the DSC and related awards.

The group’s letter in May highlighted the crucial role CJTFs played in guiding Australian troops in Afghanistan. “Considering the DSC’s stature as a distinguished military award, it’s pivotal to ensure the process for its conferral remains transparent and unimpeachable,” the letter noted.

In 2012, Defence Chief General Angus Campbell was honoured with a DSC for his outstanding command during his tenure with Joint Task Force 633. Recent reports suggest he tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to return his DSC after facing pressure in a parliamentary session earlier this year.

Concerns about these awards are prevalent throughout the military, with both active and retired members voicing their apprehensions about medals seemingly being given out as mere tokens of attendance.

Neil James, Executive Director of the Australia Defence Association, calls for a comprehensive DHAAT review concerning the standards, criteria, and procedures of awarding honours. “It’s essential to differentiate between temporary and permanent units, ensuring that revoking any commendation remains precise, transparent, and is not misconstrued,” he commented.

On being questioned during a Japan visit, Defence Minister Marles chose to withhold his comments, mentioning that they’re currently addressing various issues related to decorations and awards.

Photo: CPL Sam Price

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has stationed six F/A-18F Super Hornets and one C-27J Spartan aircraft in north-west Malaysia as part of Exercise Bersama Lima. This deployment at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth brings together forces from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

F/A-18F Super Hornets are dual-seat, multi-purpose fighter jets capable of air combat, supporting ground forces, and targeting enemy supply chains, including naval vessels. Their arsenal includes AIM-120 AMRAAMs, AIM-9X Sidewinders, joint direct attack munitions, traditional and laser-guided explosives, AGM-154 standoff weapons, AGM-84 harpoon missiles, and a forward-mounted M61A2 20mm gun.

This fortnight-long drill includes over 400 personnel from the Australian Defence Force, the Hobart Class missile destroyer HMAS Brisbane, infantry from the Australian Army, and the RAAF’s aerial assets.

Flight Lieutenant Russel, a pilot of the F/A-18F Super Hornet, highlighted the comprehensive coordination among the participating countries. The collaboration ranged from mission planning with Malaysian controllers to flying in mixed groups with multiple rapid-firing jets. He elaborated, “We’ve coordinated defence activities in the skies from the Malaysian Peninsula to Singapore and worked intensively with the naval strengths of the five nations to simulate threat detection on maritime assets or land targets in Malaysia.”

Once potential threats are identified, the combined forces proceed to intercept and engage them. He added, “Such exercises offer a valuable training opportunity with our allies.”

He further praised the dedication of the technical crew, stating they ensure the aircraft are consistently mission-ready. The experience at RMAF Butterworth, with its robust RAAF association and the assistance of the 19 Squadron, has been invaluable. Russel emphasized the importance of acclimating to different operational environments, noting the benefit of learning local best practices for mission success in unfamiliar territories.

Moreover, the Super Hornet boasts advanced equipment, including mission computers, heads-up displays, advanced radar, infrared detection, and targeting tools, as well as electronic warfare and infrared defence mechanisms.

By: Robert Dougherty – Defence Connect.

Picture: An Australian Army Electric Protected Mobility Vehicle demonstrate the capability to provide power to enable a medical treatment team to deploy in the field at Gallipoli Barracks, Brisbane. Photo: CPL Nicole Dorrett.

The Australian Defence Force has rolled out a Bushmaster electric protected mobility vehicle to support field training at Gallipoli Barracks earlier this month.

The Bushmaster vehicle prototype, which uses electric propulsion technology, was tasked with supporting members of the 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment undertaking simulated medical treatment in Queensland.

During the training, the ePMV was able to demonstrate its power storage and supply capability, enabling medical staff to work forward a role-two emergency hospital in an area of operations.

It’s understood there could also be applications to use the electric propulsion technology for greater thermal and acoustic signature management, exportable electrical energy, robotic and autonomous systems connectivity and tactical agility.

The ePMV was previously unveiled during the Chief of Army Symposium 2022 before being trialled and tested in a variety of conditions and by different units to test technological limitations.

The battery-powered prototype has had its engine and gearbox replaced with a pair of lithium-ion batteries and an electric motor driving each axle. It’s the first Australian electrification of a military vehicle and is about two tonnes lighter than a regular Bushmaster.

There is also more space between the driver and crew commander, and a modernised dashboard while the vehicle itself is expected to require less maintenance and be more reliable with no engine or gearbox.

The centre of gravity has also moved rearwards and down, according to Colonel Robin Smith, director of Army’s Robotic and Autonomous Systems Implementation and Coordination Office.

“That helps with stability, high-speed and cross-country manoeuvre, and safety under braking,” COL Smith said.

“It’s wickedly fast and we’ll be trialling speeds. But in theory it will do 0-60km/h in a little over three seconds. For a 12-tonne vehicle, that’s amazing. Up to 100km/h will take about 12 seconds where the normal Bushmaster takes 42 seconds.”

“The vehicle’s battery power could run the average Australian home for just over six days. It’s quieter and less warm, lowering the thermal signature, and it’s a software-driven vehicle so autonomy is easier.

“This (ePMV) one uses no fuel but if we do a hybrid, that will use a lot less fuel than a regular Bushmaster.”

COL Smith said his team wanted to “get this into the hands of soldiers and really test its real-world performance”.

The team is also interested in developing electrifying tracked vehicles, COL Smith said.

Recent data suggests a significant majority of Americans are worried about the country’s trajectory. This unease comes at a pivotal moment in international relations, posing potential challenges for allies, including Australia.

The past thirty years have presented a series of challenges to the United States. While the post-Cold War period was initially marked by optimism and the anticipation of ongoing progress, the nation has faced multiple crises since the early 1990s. Globally, the U.S. has been called upon to intervene in various situations, including the Gulf War, Kosovo, and Afghanistan. Domestically, economic shifts have impacted the middle and working classes, leading to issues such as the opioid crisis, political polarization, and growing wealth disparity.

These events paint a concerning image of the United States, especially during these turbulent times. Both domestically and internationally, the country’s challenges haven’t gone unnoticed. For instance, Marco Rubio, a Republican senator, criticized the U.S. after the Chinese spy balloon incident, emphasizing the perception of America as a declining superpower.

Internationally, actions like the expansion of the BRICS organization and the limited impact of US sanctions on Russia, among other incidents, hint at an evolving global power structure. However, this report primarily focuses on domestic concerns.

Recent data from the Associated Press-NORC Center underscores the dwindling domestic confidence in the U.S. and the vision of its Founding Fathers. The majority of surveyed Americans believe the country is on the wrong path. In a study conducted, 78% felt the nation was heading in the wrong direction, while only 21% believed otherwise. This represents a decline from previous months.

Public sentiment also reflects concerns about current leadership. President Joe Biden holds a 38% approval rating, with a 61% disapproval. Similarly, Donald Trump, the former president, has a 37% approval rating and a 58% disapproval.

Former U.S. defense secretary Robert Gates has voiced concerns about America’s role on the global stage. In his analysis, Gates stressed the need for the U.S. to present a united front, particularly concerning threats posed by nations like China and Russia. He also noted the challenges presented by a shifting international perspective on organizations like the United Nations, World Bank, and World Health Organization.

Gates suggests that to deter potential adversaries, the U.S. must present a united, bipartisan approach, reminiscent of strategies during the Cold War. Current political divisions, coupled with policy missteps, have weakened America’s international position.

Australia too faces a shifting global landscape. The relative decline of the U.S. means Australia must adapt to an evolving multipolar world. The focus will likely shift to the Indo-Pacific region, marked by the rising influence of nations like China, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan.

For Australia, this calls for a broader perspective, moving away from traditionally limited strategies. Policymakers and the public must work in tandem to understand and navigate the changing environment, evaluating opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific. As the global stage sees more dominant players, Australia may need to reassess its position, potentially embracing a more prominent, independent role in the face of growing great power rivalry.