Centre for Military and Security Law
The Centre for Military and Security Law is at the cutting-edge of public debate, research and policy development in military and security law. Through the frequent publication of reports, books and commentaries, centre members influence government decisions on military and security law and international policy agendas. Centre members have diverse backgrounds including in senior military roles, senior public service positions and legal practice. Centre members also have strong connections to other key ANU centres and colleges, including the ANU Strategic & Defence Studies Centre and the National Security College.
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Recently
A new research paper co-authored by Associate Professor David Letts AM, CSM and Professor Hitoshi Nasu highlights consequences surrounding the legal characterisation of lethal autonomous maritime systems (LAMS). Published in Volume 96 of International Law Studies, “The Legal Characterization of Lethal Autonomous Maritime Systems: Warship, Torpedo, or Naval Mine?” notes the urgent need to characterise LAMS from a legal perspective amid their strengthening prospect of entering military service in the near future.
The Australian National University (ANU) Centre for Military and Security Law (CMSL) Director, Associate Professor David Letts AM, CSM, recently caught up with his former CMSL Co-Director, Professor Hitoshi Nasu, while attending a workshop at the US Naval War College’s Stockton Center for International Law in Newport, Rhode Island.
Professor Nasu was a member of the faculty at the ANU College of Law from December 2006 until December 2017 when he departed for his current appointment at the University of Exeter.
The workshop, "US Consultative Meeting for the Revision of the San Remo Manual Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea", was held 17-18 December. It brought together academic and government legal experts from around the world to discuss potential changes to the manual originally compiled in 1995 by experts under the auspices of the Institute for International Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy.
The next stage in the San Remo Manual update project will be a workshop at the ANU College of Law in June 2020.
On November 4, 2019, the Harvard Law School Program on International Law (HLS PILAC) and the Centre for Military and Security Law at the Australian National University College of Law (ANU CMSL) jointly convened a workshop at Harvard Law School. Scholars and practitioners will discuss certain international legal aspects concerning the resort to force by Australia and the United States in relation to six contexts/situations: Vietnam, Iraq 1991, Afghanistan 2001, Iraq 2003, ISIS, and Combined Maritime Forces. CMSL Director Associate Professor David Letts, Professor Donald Rothwell, Mr Ben Battcock and Mr David Catanzariti were in attendance.
At the November AGM of Paramedics Australasia (PA), the newly elected Board took the opportunity to appoint Michael Eburn as a Co-opted Director for a one-year term based on his strong skillset in law and paramedic registration, which will assist the organisation and membership as paramedics make the transition to registered health professionals.
PA is the peak professional organisation representing practitioners who provide paramedic services to the community. Associate Professor Eburn has had the privilege of being an Honorary Fellow of PA since 2014.
Latest news
In the Media
Significance and potential issues of defence law reforms
David Letts interviewed by Lawyers Weekly
Significance and potential issues of defence law reforms
David Letts speaks to Lawyers Weekly
Navigating the limits in the South China Sea
David Letts, Donald Rothwell writes in The Interpreter
APEC Forum Leaders’ Meeting Reaffirms Commitment To Close Collaboration – Analysis
quoted in Eurasia Review
Does Australia have a ‘one China’, ‘two Chinas’ or ‘one China, one Taiwan’ policy—or all three?
writes in The Strategist
Calls for the Senate to address sexual assault allegations against US marines in the Northern Territory
Donald Rothwell quoted in SBS News
Second Chinese spy ship approaches Australia to monitor military exercises after being 'on our radar for some time'
Donald Rothwell quoted in
Upcoming events
No upcoming events found.
Past events
Book launch: 'The Laws of Yesterday’s Wars'
- Air Commodore Patrick Keane AM CSC
- Professor Tim McCormack FAAL
- Samuel White
Launch of 'The Laws of Yesterday's Wars', hosted by ANU's Centre for Military and Security Law.
Humanity in conflict: exploring IHL in action
- Helen Durham
Hosted by ANU's Centre for Military and Security Law and the International Committee of the Red Cross
Poaching and wildlife crime in southern Africa
- Clive Williams MG
Join Clive Williams MG in this presentation about poaching and wildlife crime in southern Africa.
Book launch: Law of the Sea in South East Asia
The book Law of the Sea in South East Asia will be launched by Vice Admiral Michael Noonan, AO, RAN, Chief of Navy on 19 November 2019.
Workshop on the Resort to Force by Australia and the United States
On November 4, 2019, the Harvard Law School Program on International Law (HLS PILAC) and the Centre for Military and Security Law at the Australian National University College of Law (ANU CMSL) will jointly convene a workshop at Harvard Law School.
The Centre for Military and Security Law actively seeks opportunities to share its expertise with military and security decision makers and policy proponents. It provides analytical and timely research for Australian Government and private sector organisations that cut across Commonwealth Government portfolios including Defence, Attorney-General’s, Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Crime Commission, Immigration and Border Protection.
We host a significant calendar of public lectures involving visiting academics and specialists with expertise in military and security law. Our members also participate in, and host, a dynamic program of conferences and workshops both in Australia and overseas.
Our members have significant experience in horizon scanning across a diverse range of military and security law issues and in assisting organisations future proof their policy and program agendas.
Past seminars and conferences have attracted high profile Australian decision-makers, including the Chief of Army, the Commander of the Australian Fleet, senior public servants in the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Trade and Attorney-General’s Department.
We also regularly engages with international organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime as well as international universities and experts.
The Master of Laws in International Security Law is also associated with the Centre. The Masters program complements other courses and programs offered throughout ANU in the security field, including the National Security College, Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, Strategic & Defence Studies Centre, and the Asia-Pacific College of Diplomacy, in the ANU College of Asia & the Pacific and the School of Politics and International Relations in the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences.
Research conducted by the Centre aligns with, and builds on, the postgraduate military law and international security law teaching program.
Directors
David Letts
Honorary Associate Professor
Members
Advisory board
The Centre for Military Security and Law is dedicated to fostering research outputs and activities in the areas of military and security law. It supports members to produce publications, reports and commentaries as well as research projects, including externally funded projects.
2020 publications
Media publications
- Mali to free jihadists in prisoner deal but no word of Ken Elliott in The Australian 9 October 2020
- Canberra, don't waste time pining for the past when you could plan for the future in The Canberra Times and ACM publications 30 September 2020
- Hold the tram and fix the train to Sydney first in [Canberra] CityNews 20 September 2020
- Kylie Moore-Gilbert: Iran wants a hostage deal it can bank on The Australian 18 September 2020
- The changing face of Australian signals intelligence in The Canberra Times and ACM publications 3 September 2020
- Would you take Putin's COVID-19 vaccine? in The Canberra Times and ACM publications 14 August 2020
- Hoping for a vaccine this year, or even next? Don't count on it in The Canberra Times and ACM publications 5 August 2020
- Espionage and the race for a coronavirus vaccine in The Canberra Times and ACM publications 22 July 2020
- China's cyber attacks against Australia should be of great concern in The Canberra Times and ACM publications 23 June 2020
- Dark sides to the shadows of protest outrage in City News 14 June 2020
- China's assertiveness and the rise of 'Wolf Warrior' diplomacy in The Canberra Times and ACM publications 25 May 2020
- Embarrass China and it’ll be harder to influence it in News Corp Australia publications online on 20 May 20 and in print in The Courier Mail Brisbane on 21 May 20.
- Diplomacy needed in China trade war in The Adelaide Advertiser on 21 May 2020.
- Who is Palantir, the US tech company Mike Kelly now works for? in The Canberra Times online and other ACM publications on 12 May 2020 and The Canberra Times print edition 13 May 2020.
- Wet markets or labs? The murky origins of the COVID-19 pandemic in The Canberra Times online and other ACM publications and The Canberra Times print edition 29 April 2020.
- Many lessons still to learn from the world’s COVID-19 response in News Corp Australia publications 24 April 2020
- Terrorism in the era of Covid-19 in ASPI The Strategist 15 April 2020
- Coronavirus crime: Phishing and phone scams on the rise . in Rendezview online 6 April 2020 and in The Daily Telegraph and other News Corp Australia publications 7 April 2020.
- Modelling COVID-19 deaths: What the government didn’t tell you about coronavirus in The New Daily 25 March 2020
- Clive Williams: What we can learn from the Spanish flu in the Herald Sun and News Corps affiliates 22 March 2020
- There's no need to take Marie Kondo's advice in isolation in The Canberra Times online and other ACM publications and The Canberra Times print edition 17 March 2020.
- Quick, nimble cats - the Navy needs you as a new recruit in The Canberra Times online and other ACM publications and The Canberra Times print edition 3 March 2020.
- Navy needs a large catamaran in The Australian Naval Institute 25 January 2020
- Why homegrown right-wing threat has ASIO's attention in The Canberra Times online and other ACM publications and The Canberra Times print edition 28 February 2020.
- Death of dedicated train driver John Kennedy was an avoidable tragedy in The Canberra Times online and other ACM publications and The Canberra Times print edition 24 February 2020.
- Profile of a firefighter arsonist in The Sydney Morning Herald and Fairfax outlets 21 January 2020
- Why the Ukrainian airliner that crashed in Tehran was likely shot down in The Canberra Times online and other ACM publications 10 January 2020 and The Canberra Times print edition 11 January 2020.
- US Iran conflict not over yet in Rendezview online 9 January 2020 and in The Daily Telegraph and other News Corp Australia print editions as “A bit of history repeating” 10 January 2020.
- US airstrikes killed a top Iranian military chief; Donald Trump has made more threats. What now? In The New Daily 5 January 2020
- Soleimani assassination was designed to provoke a response in The Canberra Times online and other ACM publications 4 January 2020 and print edition on 6 January 2020.
- Government-approved bushfire bunkers could help protect homes, lives in The Sydney Morning Herald and Fairfax publications 2 January 2020
2019 publications
Media publications
Clive Williams
- Put down those narwhal tusks: running towards danger is never a good idea in The Canberra Times and other ACM publications 4 December 2019
- Should autonomous machines be allowed to kill? in The Canberra Times Defence Review and other ACM publications 27 November 2019
- A hypersonic threat we won't even see coming in The Canberra Times Defence Review and other ACM publications 27 November 2019
- The death of a monster: Islamic State is down but not out in The Canberra Times and other ACM publications 29 October 2019
- The illegal wildlife trade will continue until demand disappears in The Canberra Times and other ACM publications 26 October 2019
- Why Australia needs to re-examine how it approaches defence strategy in The Canberra Times and other ACM publications 18 September 2019
- Global hypersonic arms race gains speed in The Canberra Times and other ACM publications 16 July 2019
- Public Sector Informant: How Israel spends on spies ... and ends up making money in the Public Sector Informant and other ACM publications 2 July 2019
- Trump’s elusive border wall in The Strategist ASPI 14 June 2019
- Islamic State’s feud with al-Qaeda puts Australia at risk as rivals jostle to become king of the jihadis in The New Daily 27 April 2019
- Sri Lankan bombing: Significant points stand out from Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in The Canberra Times and other ACM publications 22 April 2019
- Right-wing extremists were already on spy agencies' radars in The Canberra Times and other ACM publications 23 March 2019
- The shape of far-right extremism in Australia in The Strategist ASPI 21 March 2019
- After the tragedy, attention turns to how it happened in The Canberra Times and other ACM publications 18 March 2019
- Sinking billions on an outdated weapon in The WAtoday Public Sector Informant and other ACM publications 5 March 2019
- Hakeem al-Araibi's treatment shows up red faces at Interpol in The Canberra Times and other ACM publications 15 February 2019
- Terrorism in Australia in 2019: more of the same? in The Strategist ASPI 31 January 2019
- Pacific collateral from the INF Treaty collapse in the interpreter produced by the Lowy Institute 31 January 2019
- Do we still need Australian troops in Afghanistan? in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 29 January 2019
2018 publications
Workshop report
Maritime Security: Preserving Access to Sea Lanes in Southeast Asia (346.08 KB)
, prepared by Centre for Military Law (ANU College of Law) and Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (RSIS). This report emerged from a workshop held in Singapore in June 2018.
Media publications
Clive Williams
- Opinion: My way and the Huawei at China Global Television Network (CGTN) 2018-12-29 18:59 GMT+8
- My way or the Huawei: Chinese firm deserves inclusion in 5G network in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 29 December 2018
- Trump's declaration of victory over Islamic State is premature in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 21 December 2018
- Counterterrorism cooperation in the Maghreb: Morocco looks beyond Marrakech TheStrategist ASPI 12 December 2018
- How Australia's health system could help fight terrorism in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 13 November 2018
- Values versus interests in the Khashoggi case in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 26 October 2018
- What do you do for money, honey: The problem with food fraud in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 20 October 2018
- Strawberry contamination creates food for thought in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 26 September 2018
- Bring home our Aussies missing in action in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 11 August 2018
- Opinion: My way and the Huawei at China Global Television Network (CGTN) 2018-12-29 18:59 GMT+8
- My way or the Huawei: Chinese firm deserves inclusion in 5G network in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 29 December 2018
- Trump's declaration of victory over Islamic State is premature in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 21 December 2018
- Counterterrorism cooperation in the Maghreb: Morocco looks beyond Marrakech TheStrategist ASPI 12 December 2018
- How Australia's health system could help fight terrorism in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 13 November 2018
- Values versus interests in the Khashoggi case in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 26 October 2018
- What do you do for money, honey: The problem with food fraud in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 20 October 2018
- Strawberry contamination creates food for thought in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 26 September 2018
- Bring home our Aussies missing in action in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 11 August 2018
- Lessons in race, absent police and runaway crime in The Australian 22 July 2018
- Security challenges at the FIFA World Cup in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 13 June 2018
- Fully loaded pigeons have come home to roost in The Australian 15 May 2018
- Distractions getting in the way of better policing in The Canberra Times 5 May 2018
- History of chemical warfare has been foul indeed in The Australian 16 April 2018
- How could the Syrian strikes affect Australia? in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 16 April 2018
- Australia's terrorism focus in 2018: Islamic State, al-Qaeda and closer to home in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 22 February 2018
- Pre-Olympic tensions on the Korean peninsula in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 8 February 2018
- Australia: where to with North Asian security? in The Strategist ASPI 25 January 2018
- Iran, Hezbollah and Taliban could help West fight Islamic State in The Australian 5 January 2018
Library resource links
Reports & briefing notes
- The destruction of flight MH17: one year on (2.52 MB)
prepared by Megan Lingafelter, intern for the Centre for Military and Security Law (2015)
- Does Australia need new anti-terror_laws? (168.4 KB)
The Lionel Murphy Memorial Lecture by Professor George Williams (2014)
- International Humanitarian Law, anti-terrorism laws and non-state actors (931.98 KB)
CMSL Briefing Note by Associate Professor David Letts and Associate Professor Dr Hitoshi Nasu (with assistance from Joshua Kelly, Shiang Ye and Hannah Bathula) (2013)
- Turning their back on the law? The Legality of the Coalition's Maritime Interdiction and Return Policy (426.6 KB)
Law Honours Thesis by Sophie Roden
2017 publications
Media publications
Clive Williams
-
How police and counterterrorism agencies protect us on New Year's Eve in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 30 December 2017
- Australian military can play a role as Iraq switches from fighting to rebuilding in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 23 December 2017
- Kompromat: how Russian spies target Australians in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 21 December 2017
- Clock already ticking for Christmas and New Year Islamic State terror attacks in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 16 December 2017
- North Korea and America's long history of broken promises to find peace in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 24 November 2017
- How Ancient Romans would build the national broadband network in The Canberra Times and other Fairfax publications 7 November 2017
- Lessons of Parliament’s missing security manual in The Canberra Times and other Fairfax publications 27 October 2017
- Marawi battle has implications for Australians in the interpreter produced by the Lowy Institute 24 October 2017
- Las Vegas massacre: Americans are a long way from disarming themselves in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 5 October 2017
- Global market for forged and stolen artworks is thriving and underpoliced in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 21 September 2017
- The growing danger from terrorism on Australians overseas in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 24 August 2017
- Aviation security and the Sydney terrorism plot: inconsistencies remain globally in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 2 August 2017
- National security changes – Australian style in the interpreter produced by the Lowy Institute 25 July 2017
- Drone countermeasures have gone to the birds in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 4 July 2017
- The changing face of counterterrorism in Britain and France in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 14 June 2017
- In the counterterrorism numbers game, Britain is far behind Australia in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 8 June 2017
- 'Smart policing' can improve police efficiency in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 7 June 2017
- The security devices that track our every move in The Canberra Times and other Fairfax publications 10 May 2017
- The Australian budget and counterterrorism in the interpreter produced by the Lowy Institute 9 May 2017
- Paris shooting: why France is Islamic State's preferred terrorist target in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 26 April 2017
- Were the US cruise-missile strikes in Syria legal? in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 15 April 2017
- North Korean nuclear strikes? Beware US military's myths and misconceptions in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 12 April 2017
- London terror attack: Australians, too, should prepare for inevitable strikes in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 23 March 2017
- The slow, slow work to speed up the Canberra-Sydney heavy rail line in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 2 March 2017
- Battling 'The Rip': crossing Port Phillip Bay at its most treacherous point in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 25 March 2017
- Australia could rebuild broken Mosul after Islamic State's defeat in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 17 March 2017
- Australia doesn't need a department of homeland security, but it might help the Coalition in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 7 March 2017
- Kim Jong-un's assassination removes an embarrassment and rival to North Korean regime in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 15 February 2017
- Lessons from the Bourke Street Mall tragedy in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 26 January 2017
- How not to win friends: Indonesia cuts ties with Australian military in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 5 January 2017
2016 publications
Book chapters
- Letts, D., McLauglin, R., 'Law of Naval Warfare' in Routledge Handbook of the Law of Armed Conflict (Eds Livoja, R and McCormack T.) Routledge (2016)
Media publications
Clive Williams
- Ankara, Berlin attacks must prompt security reviews in The Age and other Fairfax publications 20 December 2016
- Turkey's volatile security situation may affect Gallipoli commemorations in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 16 December 2016
- Grassed off: The terrorists win if Parliament House is taken from the people in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 30 November 2016
- After Mosul, time for a shift in Australia's strategic focus in Middle East in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 28 November 2016
- Oh for a modern railway system! in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 24 October 2016
- The approaching battle for Mosul between Iraq and Islamic State in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 18 October 2016
- IS continues to probe West's weak points in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 29 August 2016
- What VIP close protection staff think of their employers in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 16 August 2016
- Security will be tight at Rio for the Olympic Games in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 4 August 2016
- Cyberfraud: the black hats outnumber the white hats in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 22 July 2016
- Death of an iPhone in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 22 July 2016
- Security agencies need to take stock after Nice in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 22 July 2016
- Postcard from Iran: a historic gem hidden by Western misperceptions in The Public Sector Informant and other Fairfax publications 5 July 2016
- Normalised US/Cuban relations still a long way off in The Age and other Fairfax publications 10 April 2016
- Myanmar - and the road to Mandalay in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 22 March 2016
- A walk on the dark side of the internet in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 13 March 2016
- Covert Western support for al-Qaeda in Syria makes sense in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 3 March 2016
- Networked devices extend reach toward smarter surveillance in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 22 February 2016
- When are terrorists not terrorists? When, as with the PKK, national self-interest gets in the way 2 February 2016
- Speedy resolution to kidnapping of Ken and Jocelyn Elliott unlikely in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 19 January 2016
- Shelter from the firestorm in The Age and other Fairfax publications 12 January 2016
- Scanning for terrorism - brain fingerprinting offers new hope in anti-terrorism fight in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax publications 7 January 2016
2015 publications
Media publications
David Letts
- Daesh don't respect border, why should we?' says Tony Abbott, The Australian, August 2015.
- The role of a lawyer when deployed on military operations, Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, April 2015.
- Independence puts Triggs in the position of strength, The Age, 4 March
- and Rob McLaughlin, What does Palestinian membership of the International Criminal Court mean for Australia?, The Sydney Morning Herald, 28 January
Rob McLaughlin
- and David Letts, What does Palestinian membership of the International Criminal Court mean for Australia?, The Sydney Morning Herald, 28 January
- and David Connery, Unleash anti-piracy force on the Indian Ocean drug-runners, The Australian, 14 January
Hitoshi Nasu
- 'Killer robots' are a reality in future battlefields, ABC's The Drum, 26 October 2015
Clive Williams
- Ashton Carter and the growing special forces war in Iraq and Syria - The Canberra Times and other Fairfax publications 4 December 2015
- Real Housewives of Islamic State in ANUreporter Special Edition (roundup of selected opinion pieces by ANU academics) December 2015 (first published as “Women of the Islamic State, living to serve their men” in WAtoday and other Fairfax publications on 16 February 2015)
- Time for a New Grand Strategy in United Service 66 (4) December 2015.
- France's vulnerability to jihadist terrorism laid bare The Age and other Fairfax publications 19 November 2015
- Did an IED bring down Metrojet flight in Sinai? The Sydney Morning Herald (and other Fairfax publications), 3 November 2015
- Time to stop following US and look after our own interests, The Age (and other Fairfax publications), 20 October 2015
- How has terrorism risk changed in Indonesia since the Bali bombings, The Sydney Morning Herald (and other Fairfax publications), 2 October 2015
- Why climate change is Australia's greatest national security issue, The Brisbane Times (and other Fairfax publications), 20 September
- The national security implications of refugees, Sydney Morning Herald (and other Fairfax publications), 9 September
- Covert migration to the Islamic State, Sydney Morning Herald (and other Fairfax publications), 5 September
- Bombing our way to a strategic solution to Islamic State in Syria, Sydney Morning Herald (and other Fairfax publications), 17 August
- Life's a zoo in animal-loving Britain, Sydney Morning Herald (and other Fairfax publications), 11 August
- Making sense of the expanding conflict in Yemen, Sydney Morning Herald (and other Fairfax publications), 29 March
- Ancient religious war at root of contemporary conflict in the Middle East, The Age (and other Fairfax publications), 26 March
- The complexities of citizenship, The Canberra Times (and other Fairfax publications), 9 March
- Women of the Islamic State, living to serve their men, Sydney Morning Herald (and other Fairfax publications), 15 February
- Be wary of brutal IS mire, Herald Sun, 5 February
- The mysterious disappearance of Matthew Gardiner, The Age (and other Fairfax publications), 28 January
- Sharpshooters: Why snipers could not be used in the Martin Place siege, The Age (and other Fairfax publications), 23 January
- Keeping track of potential terrorists in Australia is difficult, WA Today (and other Fairfax publications), 14 January
- The great game of Afghanistan, The Age (and other Fairfax publications), 9 January
- Australia's own actions expose citizens to greater risk of terrorist attack in 2015, The Canberra Times (and other Fairfax publications), 2 January
2014 publications
- Stuart Mayer, Ian Knox and Ivan Shearer, Reflections on the Royal Australian Navy and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (Soundings, November 2014, Issue 3), Sea Power Centre - Australia
Media publications
David Letts and Hitoshi Nasu
- Japanese constitutional re-interpretation: much ado about nothing?, The Canberra Times, 4 July 2014
David Letts
- Legality on the run? The Canberra Times, 23 May 2014
Clive Williams
- Martin Place inquiry must look at how we handle the mentally ill, dangerous obsessive, The Canberra Times (and other Fairfax publications), 19 December 2014
- Turkey and Islamic State – odd bedfellows with common interests, The Sydney Morning Herald (and other Fairfax publications), 17 November 2014
- Banning Hizb-ut Tahrir in Australia in The Sydney Morning Herald (and other Fairfax publications), 13 October 2014
- Ebola, Islamic State top security worry, The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 October 2014
- Is Iraq Vietnam revisited?, The Canberra Times, 19 September 2014
- The eclipse of al-Qaeda and the escalating IS terrorist threat, The Canberra Times, 1 September 2014
- US airline security screening requirements miss the mark, The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 July 2014
- Cuba, down but not out, WA Today, 30 June 2014
- Professor Clive Williams participates in NATO study tour (PDF, 66KB) to Brussels for leading security experts and representatives of think tanks from “Partners Across the Globe” countries, 19-22 May 2014
- Pilot suicide cases few and far between, The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 April 2014
- MH370: Six travel security concerns that must be addressed, The Age, 18 March 2014
- Search for MH370: Here's the most likely reason Malaysia Airlines plane went missing, The Age, 17 March 2014
- Terrorists unlikely culprits in plane tragedy, Brisbane Times, 11 March 2014
- Terror threat real, and no time to cut budgets The Canberra Times, 8 February 2014
- Black Rose shapes as blooming problem for Brisbane G20 The Canberra Times, 20 January 2014
- Suicide bombers a worry for Russia's Sochi Games (PDF, 67KB) The Canberra Times, 2 January 201
Forums
David Letts participated in a forum at the University of the Philippines on International Humanitarian Law and Conflicts at Sea, 25 November
2013 publications
Edited books
- Donald R Rothwell (ed), Law of the Sea (Edward Elgar, 2013) 852pp
- Hitoshi Nasu and Robert McLaughlin (eds), New Technologies and the Law of Armed Conflict (TMC Asser 2014 forthcoming).
- Simon Butt, Hitoshi Nasu and Luke Nottage (eds), Asia-Pacific Disaster Management: Comparative and Socio-Legal Perspectives (Berlin: Springer 2013).
Articles (International journals and reviews)
Miriam Gani
- 'Case and Comment: The Queen v Khazaal and Federal Anti-Terrorism Offences' (2013) 37(3) Crim LJ (forthcoming June edition).
Hitoshi Nasu
- ‘Revisiting the Principle of Non-Intervention: A Structural Principle of International Law or a Political Obstacle to Regional Security in Asia?’ (2013) 3 Asian Journal of International Law 25-50.
- ‘The Place of Human Security in Collective Security’ (2013) 18 Journal of Conflict & Security Law 95-129.
- Hitoshi Nasu and Donald R Rothwell, 'Re-Evaluating the Role of International Law in Territorial and Maritime Disputes in East Asia' (2014) Asian Journal of International Law forthcoming.
- Hitoshi Nasu and Thomas Faunce, ‘Nanotechnology in Japan: A Route to Energy Security After Fukushima?’ (2013) 69(5) Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 68-74.
- 'Nanotechnology and Challenges to International Humanitarian Law: A Preliminary Legal Assessment' (2012) 94 International Review of the Red Cross 653-672 (published in 2013).
- ‘The Future of Nanotechnology in Warfare’, The Global Journal, 4 July 2013.
Donald R Rothwell
- 'The Polar Regions and the Development of International Law: Contemporary Reflections and Twenty-First Century Challenges' (2013) 5 Polar Yearbook (forthcoming)
Book chapters (Commercial publishers)
Hitoshi Nasu
- Luke Nottage, Hitoshi Nasu and Simon Butt, 'Disaster Management: Socio-Legal and Asia-Pacific Perspectives' in Simon Butt, Hitoshi Nasu and Luke Nottage (eds), Asia-Pacific Disaster Management: Comparative and Socio-Legal Perspectives (Berlin: Springer 2013) 1-58.
- Hitoshi Nasu, 'Managing Future Disasters: Japan's Energy Security and Nanotechnology Regulation' in Simon Butt, Hitoshi Nasu and Luke Nottage (eds), Asia-Pacific Disaster Management: Comparative and Socio-Legal Perspectives (Berlin: Springer 2013) 139-152.
- Akiko Okudaira and Hitoshi Nasu, 'Revisiting the Concept of Protection in International Refugee Law: Implications of the Protracted Refugee Situation on the Thai-Myanmar Border' in Angus Francis and Rowena Maguire (eds), Protection of Refugees and Displaced Persons in the Asia-Pacific Region (Farnham: Ashgate, 2013) 171-183.
Donald R Rothwell
- 'Maritime Security in the Polar Regions' in Alex G. Oude Elferink, Erik Molenaar, Donald R Rothwell (eds), The Law of the Sea and Polar Regions: Interactions between Global and Regional Regimes (Brill: forthcoming)
- 'Compulsory Pilotage and the Law of the Sea: Lessons Learned from the Torres Strait' in Shicun Wu and Keyuan Zou (eds), Securing the Safety of Navigation in East Asia: Legal and Political Dimensions (Chandos, Cambridge)
Presentations
Dr Christopher Ward's speech on the South China Sea disputes (PDF, 123KB) at the European Regional Conference of the International Law Association in Greece in August.
Thesis
Sophie Roden completes her Law Honours thesis titled Turning Their Back on the Law? The Legality of the Coalition's Maritime Interdiction and Return Policy (PDF, 427KB).
Professional development course - Maldives Police Service
Visiting Professor Clive Williams ran a professional development course for the Maldives Police Service (MPS) (PDF, 44KB) at its Institute for Security and Law Enforcement Studies (ISLES) in Male.
Media publications
David Letts
- Defence's disciplinary regime remains intact. There's no need for the Coalition to create a military court, The Canberra Times (29 November 2013)
Donald R Rothwell
- Our Claytons sovereignty gives whales no sanctuary The Drum Opinion (ABC Online) (27 February 2013) (discussing the hurdles Australia faces in enforcing Australian law, especially the EPBC Act, in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean)
- Japan, Sea Shepherd: a whale of a legal web ABC Online ‘The Drum Opinion’ (4 January 2013) (discussing Australia’s ICJ case, and Japan’s legal proceedings against Sea Shepherd and Paul Watson)
Clive Williams
- Stamping out passport fraud The Canberra Times (4 November 2013)
- Policing is at its toughest The Canberra Times (19 August 2013)
- New way to fight terrorism The Canberra Times (19 June 2013)
- Why an Australian passport is no real security blanket The Canberra Times (6 May 2013)
- France has eye on the prize The Canberra Times (22 January 2013)
2012 publications
Authored books
- Geoff Skillen, International Criminal Justice and Military Perspectives-International Criminal Justice Legitimacy and Coherence ed. Boas, Schabas and Scharf, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd, 2012
Edited books
- Simon Bronitt, Miriam Gani and Saskia Hufnagel (eds) Shooting to Kill: Socio-Legal Perspectives on the Use of Lethal Force, Hart Publishing, Oxford (2012)
- Alan D. Hemmings, Donald R Rothwell and Karen N. Scott (eds), Antarctic Security in the Twenty-First Century: Legal and Policy Perspectives (Routledge, London: 2012) xxiii + 343pp
Articles (International journals and reviews)
Hitoshi Nasu
- ‘Peacekeeping, Civilian Protection Mandate and the Responsibility to Protect’ in Vesselin Popovski, Charles Sampford, and Angus Francis (eds), Norms of Protection: Responsibility to Protect, Protection of Civilian and Their Interaction (Tokyo: UN University Press, 2012) 117-133.
- ‘The Protection of Civilians from Violence and the Effects of Attacks in International Humanitarian Law’ in Igor Primoratz and David Lovell (ed), Protecting Civilians during Violent Conflict: Theoretical and Practical Issues for the 21st Century (Ashgate Publishing, 2012) 65-84.
- ‘Law and Policy for Antarctic Security: An Analytical Framework’ Alan D Hemmings, Donald R Rothwell, and Karen N Scott (eds), Antarctic Security in the Twenty-First Century: Legal and Policy Perspectives (London: Routledge, 2012) 18-32.
Hitoshi Nasu and Tom Faunce
- ‘Nano-Safety or Nano-Security? Reassessing Europe’s Nanotechnology Regulation in the Context of International Security Law’ (2012) 3 European Journal of Risk Regulation 416-421.
Donald R Rothwell
- 'International Straits and Trans-Arctic Navigation' (2012) 43 Ocean Development and International Law 267-282
- 'Polar Oceans Governance in the 21st Century' (2012) 26 Ocean Yearbook 343-360
Book chapters (Commercial publishers)
- Simon Bronitt and Miriam Gani, 'Regulating Reasonable Force: Policing in the Shadows of the Law' in Simon Bronitt, Miriam Gani and Saskia Hugnagel (eds), Shooting to Kill: Socio-Legal Perspectives on the Use of Lethal Force, Hart Publishing, Oxford (2012).
- Donald R Rothwell, Alan D. Hemmings and Karen N. Scott, 'The Search for ‘Antarctic Security’ in Alan D. Hemmings, Donald R. Rothwell, and Karen N. Scott (eds), Antarctic Security in the Twenty-First Century: Legal and Policy Perspectives (Routledge, Milton Park, UK: 2012) 1-17
- Donald R Rothwell, 'The Antarctic Treaty as a security construct' in Alan D. Hemmings, Donald R. Rothwell, and Karen N. Scott (eds), Antarctic Security in the Twenty-First Century: Legal and Policy Perspectives (Routledge, Milton Park, UK: 2012) 33-50
- Donald R Rothwell, 'Law enforcement in Antarctica' in Alan D. Hemmings, Donald R. Rothwell, and Karen N. Scott (eds), Antarctic Security in the Twenty-First Century: Legal and Policy Perspectives (Routledge, Milton Park, UK: 2012) 135-153
- Alan D. Hemmings, Donald R Rothwell and Karen N. Scott, 'Antarctic security in a global context' in Alan D. Hemmings, Donald R. Rothwell, and Karen N. Scott (eds), Antarctic Security in the Twenty-First Century: Legal and Policy Perspectives(Routledge, Milton Park, UK: 2012) 328-336
- 'Peacetime maritime operations' in Karine Bannelier, Theodore Christakis, and Sarah Heathcote (eds) The ICJ and the Evolution of International Law: The enduring impact of the Corfu Channel case (Routledge, New York: 2012) 181-197
Media publications (Opinion pieces)
Donald R Rothwell
- Should the US ratify the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea? East Asia Forum (5 September 2012)
- South Korea up ante on whaling: legal analysis Crikey (11 July 2012) [discussing the legal issues associated with ‘scientific whaling’ and South Korea’s proposal to issue special permits for whaling]
- Tow-back plan would open up a legal minefield The Australian (10 July 2012) [discussing the legal issues associated with the return to asylum seekers boats to Indonesia]
- Our government fiddles as Japan makes a mockery of the whale sanctuary The Sydney Morning Herald 13 January 2012, p. 11 [discussing the recent incursions into the Australian Whale Sanctuary by Japan]
- Australia limits its whaling response The Sydney Morning Herald 3 January 2012, p. 9 [discussing Australia’s options in sending the ACV Ocean Protector to monitor Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean]
Clive Williams
- Risk of terrorism never sleeps The Canberra Times (12 October 2012)
- How to make jail drug-free The Canberra Times (29 August 2012)
- Syrian situation is complex and unpredictable The Canberra Times (17 February 2012)
2011 publications
Book chapters (Commercial publishers)
- Donald R Rothwell and Rachel Baird “Australia’s Coastal and Marine Environment” in Rachel Baird and Donald R. Rothwell (eds), Australian Coastal and Marine Law (Federation Press, Annandale (NSW): 2011) 1-20
Articles (International journals and reviews)
Hitoshi Nasu
- ‘The UN Security Council’s Responsibility and the “Responsibility to Protect”’ (2011) 15 Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law 377-418.
- The Expanded Conception of Security and International Law: Challenges to the UN Collective Security System (2011) 3(3) Amsterdam Law Forum 15-33.
- ‘Operationalizing the Responsibility to Protect in the Context of Civilian Protection by UN Peacekeepers’ (2011) 18(4) International Peacekeeping 364-378.
Hitoshi Nasu and Tom Faunce
- The Proposed Ban on Certain Nanomaterials for Electrical and Electronic Equipment in Europe and Its Global Security Implications: A Search for an Alternative Regulatory Approach (2011) 2(3) European Journal of Law and Technology
Media publications (Opinion pieces)
Donald R Rothwell
- Carving up the Arctic: how the rule of law could save the poles The Conversation (20 May 2011)
- Responsibility to protect, not reason to invade ABC Online The Drum (21 April 2011) [discussing the latest developments in the implementation of R2P and UNSC Res 1973]
- Donald R Rothwell and Hitoshi Nasu UN Security Council resolutions on Libya and the significance of ‘R2P’ at East Asia Forum (8 April 2011) (8 April 2011) [discussing the application of R2P in Libya]
- Libya is not Iraq and Civilian Protection, not Regime Change, is the Goal The Australian, 22 March 2011, p. 12 [discussing the implementation of a no-fly zone in Libya as part of UNSC Res 1973 (2011)]
- 'UN resolution on intervention sets new benchmark' The Canberra Times 19 March 2011, p. 15 [discussing the UN Security Council Resolution on Libya and its implications for international law]
- Donald R Rothwell and Hitoshi Nasu Legalising Military Intervention in Libya ABC Online The Drum Unleashed (15 March 2011) [discussing options for the UN Security Council in dealing with the situation in Libya]
- Sea stoushes with Japanese whalers could sink the legal battle The Age 13 January 2011, p. 15 [discussing Australia’s obligations with respect to the Australian-flagged Gojira and its role in SSCS protests against Japanese whaling]
2010 publications
Authored books
- Donald R Rothwell and Tim Stephens, The International Law of the Sea (Hart, Oxford: 2010) xlv + 500pp
Edited books
- Natalie Klein, Joanna Mossop and Donald R Rothwell eds., Maritime Security: International Law and Policy Perspectives from Australia and New Zealand (Routledge, London: 2010) xxiv + 277pp
Book chapters (Commercial publishers)
- 'The Proliferation Security Initiative: Amending the Convention on the Law of the Sea by Stealth?' in David D. Caron and Harry N. Scheiber (eds) The Oceans in the Nuclear Age: Legacies and Risks (Martinus Nijhoff, Leiden: 2010) 285-293
- 'Maritime Security in the Twenty-First Century: Contemporary and Anticipated Challenges for Australia and New Zealand' in Natalie Klein, Joanna Mossop and Donald R Rothwell eds., Maritime Security: International Law and Policy Perspectives from Australia and New Zealand (Routledge, London: 2010) 242-259
- Natalie Klien, Joanna Mossop and Donald R Rothwell 'Australia, New Zealand and Maritime Security' in Natalie Klein, Joanna Mossop and Donald R. Rothwell eds., Maritime Security: International Law and Policy Perspectives from Australia and New Zealand (Routledge, London: 2010) 1-21
- Donald R Rothwell and Natalie Klein 'Maritime Security and the Law of the Sea' in Natalie Klein, Joanna Mossop and Donald R. Rothwell eds., Maritime Security: International Law and Policy Perspectives from Australia and New Zealand (Routledge, London: 2010) 22-36
- Donald R Rothwell and Cameron Moore 'Australia’s Traditional Maritime Security Concerns and Post 9/11 Perspectives' in Natalie Klein, Joanna Mossop and Donald R. Rothwell eds., Maritime Security: International Law and Policy Perspectives from Australia and New Zealand (Routledge, London: 2010) 37-53
Articles (International journals and reviews)
Miriam Gani
- 'Combating Terrorism and the Rule of Law" (2010) 22 (3) LegalDate 5-7
Hitoshi Nasu and Tom Faunce
- ‘Nanotechnology and the International Law of Weaponry: Towards International Regulation of Nano-Weapons’ (2010) 20 Journal of Law, Information and Science 21-54.
Media publications (Opinion pieces)
Mark Nolan
- The Court Martial of Australian Special Forces Soldiers (MP3, 847KB) (612 ABC Radio Brisbane Mornings, 28 September 2010)
Mark Nolan & Donald R Rothwell
- Force of Obligation (Lawyers Weekly, 12 October 2010)
Donald R Rothwell
- Trial's role in winning over Afghans (Sydney Morning Herald, 29 September 2010)
- Renewed focus on civilian casualties (The World Today, 28 September 2010)
- Soldiers more likely to be in court: expert (ABC News, 28 September 2010)
- Japanese Whaling: When Diplomacy Fails, Call the ICJ Jurist Legal News & Research Forum (3 March 2010) [discussing the diplomatic and legal options open to Australia challenge Japan’s JARPA II program]
- 'Showdown looms on whaling' Canberra Times 2 March 2010, p. 11 [discussing the diplomatic and legal options open to Australia challenge Japan’s JARPA II program]
- 'Putting Japan in the dock over whaling' Dominion Post (Wellington) 25 February 2010, p. 5 [discussing the options open to Australia and New Zealand to take Japan to the ICJ to challenge the legality of its JARPA II program]
- High seas clash inevitable The Sydney Morning Herald 8 January 2010, p. 11 [discussing the collision in the Southern Ocean between the Ady Gil and Shonan Maru and legal and political implications]
Master of Laws (LLM) in International Security Law
International security law provides the legal framework for governments to respond to global, regional and national insecurity. An ANU College of Law Masters in International Security Law will deepen your understanding of issues like the use of force, UN peacekeeping, national security, humanitarian and post conflict situations, cyber warfare, maritime security, and human rights in armed conflict. The program offers a wide range of elective courses to address these issues, many of which require a substantial research paper.
Activities archive
A new research paper co-authored by Associate Professor David Letts AM, CSM and Professor Hitoshi Nasu highlights consequences surrounding the legal characterisation of lethal autonomous maritime systems (LAMS). Published in Volume 96 of International Law Studies, “The Legal Characterization of Lethal Autonomous Maritime Systems: Warship, Torpedo, or Naval Mine?” notes the urgent need to characterise LAMS from a legal perspective amid their strengthening prospect of entering military service in the near future.
The Australian National University (ANU) Centre for Military and Security Law (CMSL) Director, Associate Professor David Letts AM, CSM, recently caught up with his former CMSL Co-Director, Professor Hitoshi Nasu, while attending a workshop at the US Naval War College’s Stockton Center for International Law in Newport, Rhode Island.
Professor Nasu was a member of the faculty at the ANU College of Law from December 2006 until December 2017 when he departed for his current appointment at the University of Exeter.
The workshop, "US Consultative Meeting for the Revision of the San Remo Manual Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea", was held 17-18 December. It brought together academic and government legal experts from around the world to discuss potential changes to the manual originally compiled in 1995 by experts under the auspices of the Institute for International Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy.
The next stage in the San Remo Manual update project will be a workshop at the ANU College of Law in June 2020.
On November 4, 2019, the Harvard Law School Program on International Law (HLS PILAC) and the Centre for Military and Security Law at the Australian National University College of Law (ANU CMSL) jointly convened a workshop at Harvard Law School. Scholars and practitioners will discuss certain international legal aspects concerning the resort to force by Australia and the United States in relation to six contexts/situations: Vietnam, Iraq 1991, Afghanistan 2001, Iraq 2003, ISIS, and Combined Maritime Forces. CMSL Director Associate Professor David Letts, Professor Donald Rothwell, Mr Ben Battcock and Mr David Catanzariti were in attendance.
At the November AGM of Paramedics Australasia (PA), the newly elected Board took the opportunity to appoint Michael Eburn as a Co-opted Director for a one-year term based on his strong skillset in law and paramedic registration, which will assist the organisation and membership as paramedics make the transition to registered health professionals.
PA is the peak professional organisation representing practitioners who provide paramedic services to the community. Associate Professor Eburn has had the privilege of being an Honorary Fellow of PA since 2014.
CMSL Co-Director Associate Professor David Letts recently travelled to Kuala Lumpur to provide expert instruction during the 4th ICRC Law of Armed Conflict at Sea Asia/Pacific Regional Workshop. Senior Representatives from Asia-Pacific naval forces attended the Workshop which was held at the National Defence University of Malaysia’s campus in KL. The workshop was co-hosted by the ICRC, NDUM and the Royal Malaysian Navy.
The Australian Ambassador to Italy, Dr Greg French joined Prof David Letts at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo for the course which Prof Letts directs each year 'Naval Operations & the Law'. Before taking up his post in Italy, Dr French was previously a Board Member of the Centre for Military & Security Law at ANU of which Prof Letts is Co-Director.
Associate Professors David Letts and Rob McLaughlin delivered lectures and training on command responsibility at the South African National Defence Force's Advanced Law of Armed Conflict Course at the SANDF School of Military Justice in Pretoria.
Rob McLaughlin presented at the University of the Third Age in Canberra on the ‘South China Sea: Some Recent Legal Developments’.
Rob McLaughlin presented on the ‘Rules of Engagement: Applicable Law and Policy’ at the Asia-Pacific Centre for Military Law Regional ROE Workshop, Sydney.
CMSL Co-Director, Associate Professor David Letts, provided assistance to the International Committee of the Red Cross as an International Law Expert during a Workshop on LOAC at Sea for the Vietnamese Navy, Coast Guard and Border Force.
David’s participation in the workshop forms part of CMSL’s ongoing international outreach and research program.
David Letts attended a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on the recent South China Sea decision.
Rob McLaughlin presented on ‘Jurisdiction over “Unflagged’ Vessels’ at the 2016 'Global Ocean Regime Conference: Maritime Challenges in Asia' conference held in Busan, South Korea.
‘The Ways of War: New Technologies and Killer Robots’ - Rob McLaughlin sat on a panel with Michael Bliss and Anne Giles at the Australian Goverment Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra.
Rob McLaughlin and David Letts spoke on ‘Call-out Powers for the ADF in an Age of Terrorism: Administrative Law and Other Legal Implications’ at the Australian Institute of Administrative Law in Canberra.
Rob McLaughlin taught ‘Classification of Conflicts’, and ‘Targeting’ at the International Legal Frameworks Course for Humanitarians for the Australian Red Cross, Melbourne.
