Nicola Smith
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niccijsmith.bsky.social
Nicola Smith
@niccijsmith.bsky.social
2.3K followers 1.2K following 260 posts
Foreign affairs and defence correspondent at the Australian Financial Review. Previously in 🇰🇷, 🇹🇼,🇮🇳for the Telegraph and Sunday Times
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niccijsmith.bsky.social
National security fears were a driving force behind Anthony Albanese’s pivot to a more interventionist approach to artificial intelligence, and cyber experts and the opposition warn that Australia must redouble its efforts to master the technology

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
National security concerns drove Labor’s pivot on AI
As the technology increasingly encroaches on defence capabilities, cyber experts and the opposition warn that Australia must redouble its efforts to master it.
www.afr.com
July 17, 2026 at 4:20 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
Even as Beijing’s launch of a nuclear-capable missile shocked the Pacific, experts warn Australia must keep fighting to retain its upper hand in soft power diplomacy

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Missiles and charm offensives: Australia’s urgent Pacific test
Even as Beijing’s launch of a nuclear-capable missile shocked the Pacific, experts warn Australia must fight to retain its upper hand in soft power diplomacy.
www.afr.com
July 11, 2026 at 6:44 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
Australia, New Zealand and Japan have denounced China’s test launch of a long-range ballistic missile carrying a dummy warhead from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific, with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong describing it as destabilising for the region

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Australia rebukes China as sub launches ballistic missile in Pacific
Chinese state media on Monday confirmed its navy successfully test-launched a strategic missile from a nuclear submarine.
www.afr.com
July 6, 2026 at 1:33 PM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
Restaurant have predicted an industry bloodbath and warned of a sharp increase in menu prices as the besieged hospitality sector struggles to pay for a 4.75 per cent award wage rise on top of existing economic pressures and the fallout from the Middle East war.

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Prices to rise in restaurant ‘bloodbath’ as wage hike hits
Restaurant owners, the construction industry and childcare providers warn they cannot absorb higher wage costs on top of existing economic pressures.
www.afr.com
June 30, 2026 at 1:06 PM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
Data centres in Australia say the introduction of tougher penalties and tighter supply chain checks by the govt to beef up national security obligations could deter AI investment, but experts say they must do more to protect critical national assets

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
National security for data centres a ‘risk to investment’
Operators say tighter controls may deter investors, but their protests have been rebuffed amid rising geopolitical and cybersecurity tensions.
www.afr.com
June 22, 2026 at 12:14 PM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
Perks for top Canberra bureaucrats, including business-class flights, generous relocation fees and airport lounge access, may be curbed and wages frozen under the biggest remuneration review in 15 years of the highest rungs of Australia’s public service.

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
‘Don’t think they should be paid more than PM’: Bureaucrats face cuts
Public sector executives face potential salary freezes and cuts to business-class benefits in the biggest evaluation in 15 years.
www.afr.com
June 20, 2026 at 5:27 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
“Twenty of the Epstein survivors recently released a statement saying that information about them was included in the latest file release, “while the men who abused us remain hidden and protected””

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Never forget Epstein’s little helpers – the powerful men who knew about his crimes, and helped him out anyway | Marina Hyde
I’m sorry, but this is not just a political scandal. Time to refocus on the horrific mistreatment of women and girls, and the role of these ghouls, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 10:32 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
High-profile business leaders have raised more than $200,000 within 24 hrs to fund a national campaign for a federal inquiry into the Bondi shooting, as the PM signalled he may backflip and trigger the probe under the weight of public pressure.

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
PM signals royal commission U-turn as public pressure grows
The prime minister has declined to rule out a federal royal commission into the Bondi attacks in the face of mounting public pressure.
www.afr.com
January 6, 2026 at 11:15 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
Australia’s millennial Comms minister Anika Wells faces a defining moment as she tried to land the world’s first social media ban for under-16s. Ensuring the ban works from December 10 will be a major political test

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Anika Wells faces her ‘defining moment’
In bringing home Labor’s world-first social media ban, the Millennial mum and minister’s meteoric political rise encounters its sternest test yet.
www.afr.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:41 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
Our latest on the Chinese flotilla that may be heading from the Philippine Sea towards Australia. Trajectory still unclear but Defence are monitoring. New images from Starboard Maritime Intelligence reveal more details of size and composition of the fleet

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
First images of Chinese flotilla reveal assault ship
A maritime surveillance company says images of a Chinese flotilla being monitored by Defence indicated a significant projection of naval power.
www.afr.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:31 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
The Australian govt sat for nearly a year on a plan to introduce a national 000 watchdog, which would have forced Optus to immediately alert authorities of outages, but is now expected to rush legislation for the critical safeguard within a month

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Government failed to act on plans for Triple Zero watchdog
The Albanese government sat on a plan to introduce a Triple Zero guardian for nearly a year but is now expected to rush out legislation within the next month.
www.afr.com
October 1, 2025 at 2:11 PM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
The Albanese government’s response to the Optus Triple Zero outages is coming under fire @jennywiggins.bsky.social

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Government’s handling of Optus failures under question
The Albanese government’s strategy to fix Optus has come under fire as a third review is announced, to be done by a US consulting group paid for by the telco.
www.afr.com
September 30, 2025 at 11:32 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko said Kyiv was “ready to share” unique skills it has developed in deploying and counteracting unmanned systems that have played a pivotal role in its war with Russia since Moscow invaded in February 2022.

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Ukraine offers drone tech and battlefield expertise to Australia
The war-ravaged country has reached out to help Australia keep pace with the changing face of modern warfare.
www.afr.com
September 29, 2025 at 1:55 PM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
The recognition of Palestinian statehood is a “very significant step” but Australia must do more to help end the conflict in Gaza, says Chris Sidoti, the author of a United Nations independent expert report alleging Israel is committing genocide.

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Australia must do more to end Gaza war says author of ‘genocide’ report
Chris Sidoti, author of an independent UN probe alleging Israel is guilty of genocide, has urged Australia to step up efforts to end the Gaza war
www.afr.com
September 22, 2025 at 7:59 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
The Albanese government is on track to sign a significant new mutual defence treaty with neighbouring Papua New Guinea to boost security ties

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Australia set to sign ambitious defence treaty with Papua New Guinea
The deal comes amid concern over Beijing’s growing influence in the Pacific, and is timed to coincide with Anthony Albanese’s visit to Port Moresby this week.
www.afr.com
September 15, 2025 at 1:56 PM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
The Australian government has vowed to strengthen the rules covering agreements between state, territory and local governments and universities with overseas authorities to block proposals of high risk to national security

www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Government pledges stronger action to counter foreign influence
Labor has pledged more targeted action to counter interference in state and territory governments, as well as universities.
www.afr.com
September 1, 2025 at 10:41 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
Loving Brisbane and the Glasshouse mountains in #Queensland on our latest #Australia tour
August 12, 2025 at 5:04 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
The “language of sacrifice” is no longer part of political discourse said former Uk national security adviser Lord Mark Sedwill. “That kind of sentiment is absent in modern politics, but I think it’s going to have to come back.”

thenightly.com.au/politics/aus...
Welfare or warfare: Western nations warned on tough choice
Top UK security expert Lord Mark Sedwill has urged honest public discourse on defence budgets and sacrifice.
thenightly.com.au
August 11, 2025 at 9:55 PM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
Unfortunately this is not surprising given the dangerous moves Chinese coastguard ships have been staging in the South China Sea. Hopefully everyone is safe and well - China rams own warship while chasing Philippine vessel

www.bbc.com/news/article...
China rams own warship while chasing Philippine vessel
The crash in the disputed Scarborough Shoal rendered a Chinese warship "unseaworthy", Manila said.
www.bbc.com
August 11, 2025 at 9:48 PM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
Stunning #Canberra sunset tonight
June 22, 2025 at 7:14 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
Great insights from Ely Ratner in @thenightly.bsky.social on #Aukus and the onus on Australia to invest more on deterrence and to engage in tough conversations on strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific

thenightly.com.au/politics/exc...
AUKUS is ‘too big to fail’, says ex-Pentagon official
Former senior Pentagon official Ely Ratner believes the pact will go ahead but the review raises tough questions.
thenightly.com.au
June 21, 2025 at 5:15 AM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
My @thenightly.bsky.social take on why Albanese should attend the NATO summit at a time of escalating global instability: The Prime Minister should not miss chance to be heard by peers, regardless of whether Donald Trump attends.

thenightly.com.au/politics/aus...
Go NATO: Why PM should attend regardless of Donald Trump
NICOLA SMITH: The Prime Minister should not miss chance to be heard by peers, regardless of whether Donald Trump attends.
thenightly.com.au
June 19, 2025 at 11:56 PM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
The @thenightly.bsky.social interviewed Middle East expert Kylie Moore-Gilbert on the prospects for regime change in Iran

thenightly.com.au/politics/aus...
Regime change with no alternative would risk road to ruin
Rushing to overthrow Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could lead to chaos instead of peace.
thenightly.com.au
June 19, 2025 at 10:24 PM
niccijsmith.bsky.social
“The AUKUS partnership between Australia, the UK and the US is our most strategically significant new agreement in a generation.” - UK Indo-Pacific Minister Catherine West exclusive oped in The Nightly

thenightly.com.au/opinion/cath...
What the UK and Australia can achieve when we stand together
CATHERINE WEST: Our relationship with Australia will go from strength to strength to build a free and open Indo-Pacific.
thenightly.com.au
June 17, 2025 at 11:25 AM