Defence Department

A great win by Webber, but it sure as hell wasn’t sport

by Dan Walsh

110
Fighting Assad one strongly worded statement at a time

by Tory Maguire

210
The woman with her head down trying to save Labor

by Malcolm Farr

310
Eurovision, the only game worth watching this weekend

by Anthony Sharwood

410
Some sensible thoughts to stop us losing to boozing

by The Punch Team

510
Five sparky ideas from a revolutionary talkfest

by Michelle Loh

610
Are you and your vitamins meant to be friends forever?

by Susie Burrell

710
Punch on: Open thread 28/05/2012

by The Punch Team

810
Abbott’s crass logic: trash the Parliament in order save it

by David Penberthy

910
Our special forces don’t always need special treatment

by Paul Toohey

1010

Defence goes on the attack as Smith hangs tough

09 Mar 05:44am

Filed under: Adfa, Defence, Defence Department, Sexual Harassment, Stephen Smith

Rising proudly from the rich green lawns between the main Defence Department buildings at one end of Canberra’s Kings Avenue stands an enormous concrete eagle atop a giant octagonal spire.

On closer inspection, it appears to be saying UP YOURS

A gift from the Americans, the militarily erect structure brooks no ambiguity and invites no compromise. Its clean straight lines proclaim strength and purpose.

Its positioning is important too, across the basin of Lake Burley Griffin where it forms a counterpoint to the four-strutted flag of democracy over Capital Hill.

Continue reading "Defence goes on the attack as Smith hangs tough" »

Latest 2 of 104 comments

View all comments

AussieSoldier says:

01:50pm | 12/03/12

@ Max Power Totally on the money mate, well at least with regards to the actual written law. No Defence member is supposed to go to the media without first getting a brief from their unit’s publicity officer (if they have one). This is to make sure that the individual… Read more »
Anniebello says:

11:37am | 11/03/12

Morrgo, she was given the option of postponing and chose to get it over with. The incidents the female cadet was to be disciplined over happened before this publised one and were not connected to it. However if (as reported) they involved alcohol, perhaps they are somewhat related. Then she… Read more »

Add your comment

Punch on: Open thread 02/02/2011

by Daniel Piotrowski

02 Feb 05:00am

Filed under: Defence Department, Open Thread

56 comments

The Punch received a press release from the Defence Department yesterday announcing that the Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence has been renamed the Australian Civil-Military Centre.

Now that's excellence: VC recipient Mark Donaldson. Picture: AFP/Department of Defence

This led us to ask… does this mean the Civil-Military Centre is no longer excellent? That it’s just your average Australian Civil-Military Centre now? We could all do with a little more excellence in our lives.

Speaking of things that are, or have been excellent: it’s Thursday. What’s on your mind, folks?

Latest 2 of 56 comments

View all comments

Mike says:

08:13pm | 02/02/12

Egypt has a Mediterranean half, ergo Latin Passion. Israel is technically the same. No one would believe Gibraltar, but it’s there too in the Med. Read more »
John F says:

06:24pm | 02/02/12

Good onya mate, most experienced bikers ride looking for trouble, the fact that this guy didnt freak probably is proof that his head was ahead of the situation. As for push bikes I have nearly been killed because of pushies on the other side of the road. The car coming… Read more »

Add your comment

Facebook Recommendations

Read all about it

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

penbo 28 May 12 06:07PM

@GreenJ how dare you even suggest such a thing. I'd love to blog from their traning session though about what a pack of toffs they are

antsharwood 28 May 12 04:50PM

RT @kellieconnolly: @penbo @antsharwood Not judging Hackett but to set the record straight again I had been asking 9 for a redundancy and left on good terms

penbo 28 May 12 04:01PM

Feisty piece by @antsharwood leading http://t.co/5WsLF5Pf on how ch 9 can punt spiteri connolly rowe but not the delightful grant hackett

drpiotrowski 28 May 12 02:49PM

@BjJafari thought your name sounded familiar! #twitter

See all tweets

Nosebleed Section

choice ringside rantings

From: They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

Michael S says:

"A teacher at Geelong Grammar had criticised her for using words that were too long, which had left her confused and had made her doubt her ability to write essays. She became ''quite distressed'' when her English marks began to fall." I can sympathise. My scholastic mentors conveyed to me a causal relationship… [read more]

From: Welfare for breeders is a bonus for everyone

Change Up! says:

I have no problem paying my taxes. As a single, childless person on a very decent income, I can afford it and not have my life severely altered. Plus I understand that my taxes paying for things like schools, childcare and infrastructure is ultimately a good thing. A better community is better for me… [read more]