The Spectator Australia - July 11, 2026 - Treason of the Untenured Dimitri Burshtein & Peter Swan

Aug 6, 2026

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Issue highlights analyze Australia’s political faction dynamics and their consequences for foreign and domestic policy, linking Labor’s internal power management to neglect of defence spending amid China’s accelerating arms posture. It discusses the impact of a recent ballistic missile test and calls for strengthened bilateral security arrangements across the South Pacific, alongside deeper strategic partnerships. Additional commentary critiques debates over James Cook University’s proposed name change, weighing symbolism against historical credit and academic freedom.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages64

Reading Time2 h 41 min

AccessFree to download

Factions first

National conference and foreign policy consequences

Labor prefers peace at its national conference to peace in the Middle East

What’s in a name?

James Cook University naming controversy

Treason of the untenured Dimitri Burshtein & Peter Swan Bread, circuses, ballistic missiles Rebecca Weisser 11 􀀞􀀝􀀜 2026 􀀛 A$14 . 99􀀚NZ$15 .99 􀀙􀀙􀀙.􀀘􀀗􀀖􀀕􀀔􀀓􀀔􀀒􀀑 .􀀕􀀒􀀐 .􀀓􀀞 􀀛 􀀖􀀘􀀔. 1828 Nigel s circus Tim Shipman on Farage’s next trick DOMINIC CUMMINGS MY FARAGE PREDICTION | 001_specaus_11.07.26. indd 1 | 08/07/2026 14:05 | | --- | --- | Try 10 issues for just $10 􀀞􀀝􀀜 􀀚􀀙􀀘􀀘􀀗􀀖􀀕􀀞􀀝􀀗 􀀔􀀓􀀒􀀔􀀑􀀑 􀀔􀀐􀀐􀀗􀀕􀀕 Your subscription includes ü Weekly delivery of the magazine ü Unlimited access [at www.spectator.com.au](at www.spectator.com.au) ü The Spectator Australia app, on mobile and tablet ü Spectator Australia newsletters and podcasts Three easy ways to subscribe [Go to www.spectator.com.au/page24](Go to www.spectator.com.au/page24) Call 1800 809 233 quoting ref. PAGE24 (call +61 8 9362 4134 from New Zealand) Post the form to The Spectator Australia, Reply Paid 83891, PO Box 610, Kalamunda WA 6926 Yes, I would like to subscribe to The Spectator Australia n Australia: 10 issues for A$10, then A$98 .99 per quarter by continuous credit card n New Zealand: 10 issues for NZ$10, then NZ$119 .99 per quarter by continuous credit card Subscriber’s details Title Name | Postcode | Tel no | | --- | --- | | Email | | n Send me the Spectator Australia editorial emails Payment Please charge my: □ Visa □ Mastercard □ Amex Card no: nnnn nnnn nnnn nnnn Expiry: n n / n n CVV: Occasionally we would like to send you information about exclusive Spectator events, o ers and competitions. Please tick if you would like to receive such communications by post n by phone n. From time to time we would like to send you carefully selected o ers from our partners that we feel are relevant to you. If you are happy to receive such o ers, please tick here n. TERMS & CONDITIONS: Please note payments are processed in the UK and, as such, your bank may charge you an international transaction fee. Your subscription will continue automatically unless you cancel. Any subscription cancellations will take e ect at the end of the current term. Refunds will not be given for any undelivered issues. | ADVERT subs-specaus_28.01.17. indd 2 | 15/03/2024 14:07 | | --- | --- | Factions first Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shown himself to be very adept at playing politics. Who can blame him? After the Labor party tore itself apart in the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd years, he learned the importance of controlling the factions. Yet it has come at a terrible cost to Australiaís foreign and domestic policies. We can see this in the lead-up to Laborís national conference, to be held in a fortnight. Party elder Paul Keating has repeatedly attacked Aukus and downplayed the military threat posed by China, pretending that it is the United States that is destabilising the Asia-Pacific region. This pro-China view enjoys enough support at conference that the government has found it easier to neglect defence spending, leaving Australia woefully unprepared as China runs its own arms race. With the launch of the latest ballistic missile, it is clear that China intends to throw its weight around. The reverberations ofthe test were felt around the world. Unsurprisingly, Moscow trumpeted its support for Beijingís ësovereign rightí to the test missiles that were no threat to anyone. It underscores the urgent need for Australia to build its bilateral security treaties in the South Pacific into a region-wide security pact. We also need to strengthen our own military preparedness and our strategic partnerships with Japan and, above all, the United States, the only power capable of pushing back against Beijing. Labor prefers peace at its national conference to peace in the Middle East We see the same tendency of the Albanese government to allow factional powerbrokers to dictate foreign policy when it comes to Israel. It was bad enough last year when the government recklessly moved to unilaterally recognise the State of Palestine, but at lea

FAQs

How does the article describe Anthony Albanese’s approach to Labor factions?

It portrays Albanese as adept at playing politics and learning the importance of controlling factions after Labor’s earlier internal divisions.

What argument does the piece make about defence spending and China’s regional posture?

It argues that a pro-China view at the party conference has made defence spending easier to neglect, leaving Australia unprepared as China runs its own arms race.

Why does the article criticize campaigns connected to Israel or the university naming debate?

It frames attacking an academic or scholarly prize for being connected to Israel as antisemitism, and it also questions activism-driven pressure to change James Cook University’s name.

Aug 6, 2026

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