Something is stirring in the dusty outback. Not just the cicadas. American and Japanese forces are running live-fire drills on Australian soil. The message is clear. It lands in Beijing. The trilateral exercise, codenamed 'Southern Jackaroo', is the largest of its kind. It is not just a training run. It is a statement.
Let's cut the pleasantries. This is about China. The Indo-Pacific pivot is real. The boots on the ground in Queensland are a show of force. But who is really calling the shots? A defence source tells me the real purpose is interoperability. Can the US, Japan and Australia fight together seamlessly? The answer, for now, is a guarded 'yes'.
But there is a domestic angle. The Albanese government is walking a tightrope. They need to reassure Washington without spooking Canberra's trade ties with Beijing. It is a delicate dance. The opposition is watching. They smell weakness. One backbencher muttered to me: 'We're playing with fire. But we need the US umbrella.'
The White House is pushing for a more permanent rotational presence. The Japanese are keen. They eye with concern the South China Sea. The Australians are wary. They remember the fallout from the AUKUS submarine deal. The politics are a minefield.
Let's talk numbers. The US has 2,000 marines in Darwin on a rotating basis. This exercise adds a battalion of Japanese troops. It is not a huge number, but symbolism matters. The location matters. The Australian bush is not just a training ground. It is a signal of proximity and intent.
Behind the scenes, there is tension. The Japanese Self-Defence Forces are constitutionally constrained. Their involvement in live-fire exercises is a constitutional first. This is a quiet revolution. The Australian military is watching. They are learning from Japanese logistics, Japanese precision. The Japanese are absorbing Aussie grit.
And the voters? They are distracted by cost of living. But the hawks are circling. The Defence Minister is briefing nervously. The op-eds are sharpening their knives. This is a story that will run. It will run through the election cycle. It will test the alliance.
One thing is certain. The game is changing. The Indo-Pacific is no longer a concept. It is a live exercise. And the bush is burning with intent.
Eleanor Rigby, Political Bureau Chief.
