Australia in the World
Is the world ready for its next big health crisis?
Antimicrobial resistance will be the globe’s next crisis, and Australia better be prepared for it.AMR, as it is known in medical circles, occurs when germs that cause infections…
The logic of first mover disadvantage: Why Australia won’t save the planet
One of the more established ideas in the social sciences is that there are advantages to be derived from going first. Whether it is entrepreneurs coming up with new gizmos or…
The Quad has solid foundations
There has been a swirl of negative commentary surrounding the fourth Quad Leaders’ Summit held in President Joe Biden’s hometown on 21 September.A common criticism has been that…
Australia needs to take Africa seriously – really, this time
In 2022, Assistant Foreign Minister Tim Watts declared that Australia wanted a new relationship – one of partnership – with Africa. Good call, but little action has followed so…
Byte-sized diplomacy: On social media for young people, Australia needs to aim higher
Australia has form for bold regulation. It was the first country to introduce plain packaging on cigarettes, a model exported globally. Tobacco companies took legal action and…
Timor-Leste joins the Asia Power Index
When we think of power, we typically focus on the economic strength and military might of a country. Timor-Leste, the newest addition to the Lowy Institute’s Asia Power Index, has…
Out of the way, USA
Straight after 9/11, in a sweet gesture of solidarity, France’s leading newspaper declared: “We are all Americans”. Le Monde’s headline caught the mood but missed the point. In…
International students: Australia has a good problem that may not last
Driven by domestic politics, the Albanese government’s crackdown on international student numbers amounts to a self-imposed limit on a major source of national income at a time…
Has Sweden lost the art of walking the talk?
Recently, I came across an intriguing article in The Nordic Times – a pan-Nordic English language online newspaper. The headline read, “Sweden now the most multilingual country in…
The real risks of exploitation for Pacific workers in Australia
At a press conference in Tonga last week, Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, was quick to defend the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility…