Australia in a Hybrid War: Constitutional Leverage, Economic Exposure, and the Question of Sovereignty

Australia’s strategic position in 2025 is defined by exposure to a new form of conflict—hybrid warfare, where power is exercised through finance, data, energy, and influence rather than open force. This paper examines how Australia’s constitutional framework interacts with these grey-zone pressures, identifying both latent strengths and critical vulnerabilities. Drawing on the RSQS-6D analytical model, it explores how trade dependence, foreign capital, and digital infrastructure shape national resilience and policy freedom. The study assesses constitutional powers over defence, trade, and cooperative federalism, arguing that adaptability—not amendment—is the key to sovereign security in a hybrid age. It concludes that Australia’s resilience will depend on balancing openness with autonomy, transparency with deterrence, and national coordination with federal diversity—ensuring that constitutional governance remains both lawful and strategically responsive in an era of continuous, undeclared conflict.