Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith tours Afghanistan
New Defence Minister Stephen Smith takes his first tour of Afghanistan, announcing he will ask the Australian government for more police trainers.
Military police pressured to make prisoners more 'pliable'
David Wroe, Deborah Snow Military police at Australia's detention centre in Afghanistan were pressured to make prisoners more "pliable" by gagging them, depriving them of sleep and denying them exercise.
Military police pressured to make prisoners more 'pliable'
David Wroe, Deborah Snow Military police in Afghanistan made prisoners more 'pliable' by gagging them and depriving them of sleep.
Fears Afghans abusing prisoners
Deborah Snow and David Wroe Australia has again suspended the transfer of suspected insurgents to some Afghan prison facilities in Tarin Kowt following allegations of abuse.
Troops 'humiliated' Afghan detainees
Deborah Snow, David Wroe Afghan detainees captured by the Australian Defence Force and held at a US military prison near Bagram complained to Australian government officials that they were forced to accept humiliatingly...
Most claims for wrongful dismissal unsuccessful
Natasha Wallace More than three-quarters of arbitrated unfair dismissal claims ultimately fail, indicating employers are perhaps not doing it so tough under workplace laws.
Afghan detainees 'humiliated in jail'
Deborah Snow and David Wroe Afghan detainees captured by Australian soldiers and held at a US military prison near Bagram complained to Australian government officials that they were forced to accept humiliatingly public...
New white paper will aim at placating China
Tony Wright Australia's new defence strategy, to be unveiled on Friday, is expected to maintain funding at historically low levels while seeking to repair damage to the relationship with China that followed the...
Funding to be kept at record low
Tony Wright Australia's new defence strategy, to be unveiled today, is expected to maintain historically low funding.
Strategy to win hearts and minds cautiously received
Deborah Snow and David Wroe Defence white papers only come along every few years and Friday's - just the second since 2000 - was pitched carefully to a domestic as well as an international audience.
Bali Process pledge against 'vile trade'
Michael Bachelard People smuggling and human trafficking will be 'more thoroughly criminalised' across the Asia Pacific region as Australia struggles to deal with the latest influx of asylum seekers.
Victims of military abuse divided
David Wroe Opinions differ on whether Defence Minister Stephen Smith has failed victims of abuse.
Maybe it's time to make a clean break
David Wroe ''What does Afghanistan show,'' Stephen Smith asked on Tuesday. ''Easiest thing in the world to get in, hardest thing in the world to get out.
Marching home: after decade of war, end is in sight
David Wroe After a decade of war in Afghanistan and 39 combat deaths, the end is firmly in sight for Australian troops with the planned closure of their main base by the end of the year.
Officials broke rules on Zygier as case was flicked to ASIO
David Wroe, Tom Allard Two of Australia's highest ranking foreign affairs officials knew of the jailing of Melbourne man Ben Zygier - dubbed ''Prisoner X'' - in Israel but left his consular care in the hands of spy agency...
Failure to intervene: why Canberra turned its back on Prisoner X
David Wroe and Ruth Pollard A government inquiry has reignited concern over the Prisoner X affair.
Convincing win for Coalition in WA
Labor challenger Mark McGowan concedes defeat in the West Australian election.
Gillard's leadership set to remain in spotlight
As federal Labor MPs pack their suitcases to return to Canberra this week they could well bring further leadership speculation with them.
Federal woes hurt Labor in the west
Katharine Murphy Labor's political woes federally affected efforts by WA Labor leader Mark McGowan to defeat Premier Colin Barnett , senior ministers say.
Army adapted training after scathing Diggers report
David Wroe Defence Minister backs Army commanders after Diggers's attitude is compared to 'Roman gladiators'.
