NEWS WRAP

Thousands without power after ‘targeted’ attacks in North Carolina

• Tens of thousands still in the dark after ‘targeted’ attacks on North Carolina power substations | With no suspects or motive announced, the FBI is joining the investigation into power outages in a North Carolina county believed to have been caused by “intentional” and “targeted” attacks on substations. Around 40,000 customers were in the dark Saturday night, and the attack triggered a curfew and emergency declaration. READ MORE HERE
   

• Raphael Warnock defeats Herschel Walker in Georgia Senate runoff | Georgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock has fended off a strong challenge from Republican Herschel Walker, and strengthened the Democratic majority in the Senate. READ MORE HERE
   

• DNC moves forward with key change to presidential primary calendar | The Democratic National Committee voted on Friday to radically alter its presidential nominating calendar, following President Joe Biden’s recommendations to elevate South Carolina as the first primary state, rather than Iowa and New Hampshire, citing the need to provide an opportunity for people of colour to play a role in the initial selection. READ MORE HERE
   

• Trump Organization companies found guilty of tax fraud | A jury found two Trump Organization companies guilty of criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records connected to a 15-year scheme to defraud tax authorities by failing to report and pay taxes on compensation for top executives. READ MORE HERE

WEBINAR

Many hands: Australia-US contributions to Southeast Asian maritime security resilience

USSC invites you to the launch of the latest report by the Foreign Policy and Defence Program, titled Many Hands: Australia-US contributions to Southeast Asian maritime security resilience. While Australia and the United States already pursue a range of security cooperation activities in Southeast Asia, this report examines how they can work together with Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam to resist maritime coercion in the South China Sea.

To discuss the report's key findings, please join the USSC webinar featuring the authors: Andi Supriyanto (Universitas Indonesia), Professor Renato Cruz De Castro (De La Salle University), Dr Collin Koh (RSIS, Nanyang Technological University) and Dr Lan-Anh Nguyen (Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam), in conversation with USSC Research Fellow Dr Peter K. Lee.

WHEN
SYDNEY | Wednesday, 7 December | 6-7pm AEDT

COST
Free, but registration is essential

ANALYSIS

AUSMIN sharpens alliance cooperation in Indo-Pacific

Tom Corben and Henry Zwartz 

Existing in its current form since 1985, AUSMIN is Australia’s premier bilateral diplomatic forum. It offers Australian Foreign and Defence Ministers and US Secretaries of State and Defense the chance to make progress on critical alliance issues.

As this explainer by Research Fellow Tom Corben, and Research Associates Alice Nason and Sophie Mayo notes, AUSMIN provides a key pivot point for the United States and Australia to broaden bilateral defence efforts, as well as align allies on issues that require key regional engagement. 

Research Fellow Tom Corben highlights this year has seen a strengthening of the United States' military presence in Australia, and a clear intention to more closely involve Japan as a strategic and military partner in the Indo-Pacific. 

The US Studies Centre explainer on AUSMIN 2022 can be read here. It was first published on December 2, 2022.

BY THE NUMBERS

Australians' views on AUKUS including Japan

USSC researchers led by Director of Research Jared Mondschein, looked at the views of Australian citizens in relation to the AUKUS alliance.  The research found a clear pattern of older Australians being more likely to support the expansion of AUKUS to incorporate Japan as a strategic alliance partner.

Younger participants were less likely to support Japan joining the alliance. Seventy-four per cent of Australians 65 and older polled either agreed or strongly agreed that Japan should join AUKUS, whereas only 52 per cent of Australians 18-34 supported the idea.

And as the research reveals, there is a growing unease in Australians' minds about instability in the Indo-Pacific, and the growing strategic challenges sparked by a revisionist China.

VIDEO

US midterms 2022: The stakes for Australia and the alliance | Report findings

USSC launched its publication, US midterms 2022: The stakes for Australia and the alliance at a special event in Canberra. USSC commissioned polling on public opinion in the United States, Australia and Japan on issues ranging from sentiment toward AUKUS and the stationing of US troops in allied nations to alignment on climate change and priorities for the next US Congress.

This session of the conference includes an introduction by USSC CEO Dr Michael Green, a presentation on the major findings by Director of Research Jared Mondschein and Research Associate Victoria Cooper. The session concludes with a discussion on the national security implications for the alliance agenda featuring Professor Peter Dean, Director of Foreign Policy and Defence, Dr Miah Hammond-Errey, Director of Emerging Technology, and Dr Peter Lee, Research Fellow, Foreign Policy and Defence.

Catch more podcast and video analysis on the United States here.

THE WEEK IN TWEETS

#AUSMIN2022