Ive just started my 2nd year phd and have very nice, but also very vague, supervisors so not sure what I should be doing about research papers. At this point should I be aiming to get some published or will this come later? I really want to continue working in academia once I finish so dont want to leave it too late. Any advice?

The real question is: Do you have enough results/good enough results to publish. If yes, do so. It is also in your supervisors interest to publish, so ask him/her, what you can publish and what has to be done to finish off your story and make it ready to publish.