Australia in the World
Something fishy about China’s anger over the Quad’s open ocean plans
Some international issues should be non-sensitive and uncontroversial. One of these is the regulation of fishing fleets to prevent overfishing and ensure the sustainable use of…
An agenda for the AUSMIN talks
When Australia’s foreign and defence ministers look across the table at their US counterparts at the annual AUSMIN talks in Brisbane on Friday, they will be looking at the…
Nuclear weapons: “Oppenheimer” won’t make a difference, but Australia can
Oppenheimer is a big disappointment for those of us who hoped that this super-hyped, all-star-cast new movie might give new life to the nuclear disarmament cause, creating new…
Why the Australian Voice referendum matters globally
The upcoming referendum for an amendment to the Australian constitution, if passed, will see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders recognised in the nation’s founding document…
It’s no surprise Australia shrugged off China’s campaign of trade coercion
It has been clear for some time that China’s campaign of trade coercion against Australia has been rather ineffectual, either in imposing significant economic costs on Australia…
Commentary
Indonesia is key to Australia’s regional vision
Indonesia will never join Australia in trying to balance China. But we cannot succeed without paying heed to the broader strategic value of our huge northern neighbour. Originally…
Beyond “the Brisbane Line”: Why Queensland is crucial to Australia’s national security
Historically, Australia’s colonial states in the 19th century were individually preoccupied with security before the act of federation shifted elements of responsibility to the…
What is Australia’s role in supporting Timor-Leste?
With Timor-Leste’s new government sworn in – and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong having paid a visit this month – it’s a good time to look at Canberra’s role in supporting…
Opportunity lost with the Commonwealth Games
In the words of Oscar Wilde, “a fool is someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing”.
The work of the iconic Irish poet appears not to have reached…
Nobody ever teaches anyone how to be a Minister
Book review: Penny Wong: Passion and Principle, by Margaret Simons (Black Inc. Updated edition 2023)
Contemporary political biography is the art of working out how our leaders…