Australia
Assessing Australia’s role in global vaccine equity
As global health leaders have repeated ad nauseum during the pandemic, no-one is safe until everyone is safe. Helping vaccinate the world is therefore a matter of national self…
China’s economic sanctions made Australia more confident
China has singled out several Australian industries with economic sanctions since May last year, imposing hefty tariffs on Australian barley and wine exports, while throwing up…
Economic diplomacy: Los Angeles port pips China as Christmas grinch
Delivery guy
When Joe Biden first elevated “something called supply chains” to the global bully pulpit of a White House press briefing back in February it wasn’t hard to guess…
Australia, Indonesia and climate change
In February 2020, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo made a state visit to Australia and addressed a joint sitting of the Australian parliament. This was a rare privilege granted…
AUKUS: Why Beijing didn’t go ballistic
China was expected to be furious about the recently signed AUKUS security pact. After all, it is generally believed that the deal to provide Australia with technology to build…
An opening on the ICJ and an opportunity for renewal
In the early 20th century, the Peace Palace in The Hague – seat of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) since 1946 – was envisioned as “a sort of holy place”, “prized … by…
Australia should donate surplus vaccine to Indonesia
In the middle of this pandemic, every vaccine is precious. Australia should give its spare locally-made AstraZeneca vaccines to friends in Indonesia.
Indonesia has a vacuum of…
Subs: Australia’s reputation overboard
The prevailing view in Australia of the momentous submarines imbroglio seems to have become that the $90-billion mega deal with the French – friend, ally and partner in the Indo…
Economic diplomacy: Japan’s new PM joins the (supply) chain gang
Securing the decks
For a country renowned for churning through ministers, perhaps the most remarkable thing about Japan’s new ministry under freshly appointed leader Fumio…
In defence of AUKUS
When Barack Obama announced the rebalance to Asia in 2011, he also revealed the rotational deployment of US Marines to Darwin. In the intervening decade, however, additional…