Australia in the World
Australia and Pacific Islands: Polls apart?
There’s lots of attention given to China pushing into the Pacific and ramping up security engagement, but Beijing’s actions are not the top issue for many in the Pacific Islands…
A new aid strategy: purpose, priorities, and plumbing
For just the third time in almost four decades, a Labor government will bring down a new strategy to guide Australia’s international development efforts. Speaking at the United…
Economic diplomacy: Time for transparency on aid reform
Coming to the aid
Foreign Minister Penny Wong appears to have raised the stakes in the debate over a development finance institution (DFI) which has featured here on The…
Diversity and inclusion: Australia’s global aim to walk the talk
The concept of “Diversity and Inclusion” has now become a mainstay to measure organisational performance. This is no less true for government agencies than it is for the corporate…
Islamic State: women, justice, and a complex impasse
Reporting that the government will repatriate Australian women and children from Kurdish-run detention camps in Syria is recognition that the current state of affairs could not…
Building a better development finance institution: Australia’s opportunity
Last week, Roland Rajah and Jenny Gordon wrote illuminating pieces on the pros and cons of Australia setting up its own development finance institution, or DFI. The debate comes…
Greater Sunrise: Can Timor-Leste play the “China card”?
Ahead of a visit to Australia last month, Timor-Leste’s President Jose Ramos Horta sought to play the China card, raising the possibility of asking Beijing to finance the Greater…
Myanmar: a desperate junta trying, and failing, to shore up its legitimacy
On Thursday, after almost 20 months in detention, a military court in Myanmar sentenced Australian academic and economist Sean Turnell to three years in jail for violating the…
Buying the wrong submarine
Nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) are technically incredible. They are akin to the Australian Navy’s conventionally powered Collins Class submarines but much faster, much…
Six reasons to be cautious about Australia establishing a DFI
In The Interpreter this week, Roland Rajah presented five reasons for establishing a Development Finance Institution (DFI). While he makes a good case, like any major policy…