Australia in the World
Some allies are more equal than others
Senator Don Farrell admitted overnight that he got himself into a “bit of trouble”. The Trade Minister, unaccustomed to leading the government’s international talking points in…
Australia and deterrence: Dazed and confused
Of all the problems confronting the nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) component of AUKUS, perhaps the most significant, yet relatively unremarked upon, concerns the question of how…
A “climate defence force” for the Pacific
During the summer political slumber, Australian Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh indicated that Canberra was considering permitting recruitment from Pacific Island Countries …
Australia-Vietnam: A partnership made in China?
Last week, Australia and Vietnam announced they were elevating their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), marking six years of improved relations since their…
Chinese social media and the 2025 Australian federal election
In any electoral or voting cycle, misinformation and disinformation has the ability to alter the outcome of the democratic process. From January to December 2023, we conducted a…
Supporting Pacific women to tell the region’s stories
Rosi Tamani-Doviverata is co-founder of Women in Media Fiji, President of the Fijian Media Association, and Acting Publisher/CEO at the Fiji Sun. Kathy McLeish is inaugural co…
State of play for Pacific women in 2024
As 2024 rang in, an historical vote was taking place in the Pacific. Hilda Heine, former president of the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) and first ever female head of state in…
Economic diplomacy: Australia Inc’s new tilt at ASEAN
Lost in translation
It’s 30 years since the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade produced a 300-page report on business challenges in Southeast Asia, accompanied by…
ASEAN-Australia: The art of what’s possible
Having talked about atmospherics and then process, let’s look at results from the final day of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. This is the “outcomes document”, as they call it…
ASEAN-Australia: Small steps at the big summit
Today is “bilat day” (short for bilateral) for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne. Call it diplomatic speed-dating, with lots of…