In the five days since Chinese navy ships held live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, an unclear picture has emerged of who knew what – and when.
Australian Senate estimates heard the first knowledge Australian authorities had of the potentially dangerous live-fire activity was through a civilian pilot flying a commercial flight over the area. The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has said the New Zealand navy notified Australia “at about the same time” as the pilot notified Airservices Australia.
