1. Pine Gap on US Missile Front Line
2. Backing for Pacific Seasonal Workers
3. Warning that SAS Stretched to Limit
4. Canberra to Sign Security Pact with NATO
5. Inquiry into Australian Defence Force Regional Air Superiority
6. New Zealand: East Timor Commitment Reinforced

1. Pine Gap on US Missile Front Line, Craig Skehan, SMH, 2007-09-21

   Pine Gap could play a direct role in a controversial new generation of ballistic missile defences developed by the US and Japan, Brendan Nelson, told Parliament. Dr Nelson said Pine Gap “provides information on ballistic missile launches of interest to Australia … Ballistic missile launch early warning information could be used in any US missile defence system … this would be a continuation of a … partnership that we have shared with the US for over 30 years.”

   • Joint Facility Defences Pine Gap, Ministerial Statement, Brendan Nelson, House Hansard, 2007-09-20 (pp.48-50) [Primary source, PDF 32kb]

   • Joint Australian-US Defence Facility – Pine Gap, Australian Forces Abroad, Nautilus Institute

2. Backing for Pacific Seasonal Workers, Graeme Dobell with Bob Sercombe, ABC, 2007-09-21 [Audio]

   An Australian Parliamentary inquiry has called for a special investment scheme in the South Pacific and backed the idea of Pacific workers doing seasonal jobs in Australia. The Parliament study says the Australian Government should give active and serious consideration to a Pacific workers program.

   • Australia’s Aid Program in the Pacific, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, 2007-09-20

   • Perspectives on the Future of the Harvest Labour Force, Senate Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Committee, 2006-10-18

3. Warning that SAS Stretched to Limit, Mark Dodd, Australian, 2007-09-21

   The country’s special operations commander has warned that the crack Special Air Service Regiment is at risk of being over-committed because of deployments to Afghanistan and the Middle East. Major General Mike Hindmarsh said the SASR was operating at its busiest tempo since the Vietnam War.

   • Special Operations Task Group, Australia in Afghanistan, Nautilus Institute, 2007-08-02

   • Special Operations Command, Australian Forces Abroad, Nautilus Institute

4. Canberra to Sign Security Pact with NATO, David Nason, Australian, 2007-09-22

   Australia will sign a treaty with NATO in a move that will boost security and intelligence ties. A spokesman for Mr Downer said the treaty would give Australia access to NATO security assessments, including those on international terrorism, and to operational matters affecting Australian Defence Force personnel. The document will go before parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Treaties for final ratification.

   • Australia and NATO, Australian Forces Abroad, Nautilus Institute

5. Inquiry into Australian Defence Force Regional Air Superiority, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, August 2007

   This report covers the ability of the ADF to maintain air superiority in our region to 2020. It includes: capability planning in relation to the acquisition of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF); any capability gap which may arise from a delay in its purchase; a comparison of the JSF and the FA-22 Raptor; and an outline of the Hornet Upgrade Program and its role in the transition to the new air combat aircraft.

6. East Timor Commitment Reinforced, NewsTalkZB, 2007-09-22

   New Zealand has reinforced its commitment to East Timor, during Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters’ visit to Portugal.

   • Timor-Leste, New Zealand Defence Force

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