Australia
How to China, from your friends in New Zealand
It was probably only a matter of time before Damien O’Connor, not one of the leading lights in Jacinda Ardern’s second-term Cabinet, stepped into some diplomatic doo-doo. But in…
Using the Australian Open as a Tokyo test run
Focus on the upcoming Australian Open tennis tournament these last few weeks in the local media has been intense. Still, it’s possible that Olympics officials in Japan are…
An anthem that is neither fair nor advancing equality
Three anthems walk into a bar, The Star Spangled Banner, La Marseillaise and Advance Australia Fair. The Banner starts singing, O say can you see, and the crowd erupts. La…
A “No-First-Use” doctrine would undermine American nuclear deterrence
Given the widespread relief accompanying Joe Biden’s transition to the White House, it seems churlish to start picking apart his policy agenda. Yet, there are grounds for concern…
The Irrepressibles tame the Invincibles in their impregnable fortress
Bliss it was to be a cricket aficionado in Australia at dusk yesterday as the shadows lengthened at the Gabba and the players were bathed in soft golden sunlight. To be an Indian…
Australia’s Pacific Step-up and the Quad
The growing synergy among the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue powers of Australia, Japan, the United States and India has provided a crucial impetus to the security architecture…
When a pigeon’s supposed feat evokes a birdbrained response
It could have very easily been an international incident with Australia’s great ally, the United States. An American citizen tries to illegally enter Australia, creating a…
Commentary
Australia's relationship with China can survive – but it won't be the same again
There can be no return to the relations of the past. The question for 2021 is how to find a new settling point. Originally published in The Guardian.
Securing the legal foundation for Australia’s intelligence agencies
The Richardson review, released last month, amounts to the most significant review of Australia’s intelligence legislative framework since the Hope Royal Commission on…
She won’t be right with “Australian-style” Brexit
As if 2020 has not been challenging enough, the United Kingdom is currently facing the prospect of ending its Brexit transition period on 31 December without a trade deal with the…