Australian Perspective
Military-police violence in PNG: Australia must pay attention
Just hours after Brigadier General Gilbert Toropo delivered a cautiously upbeat address to the parade marking the end of his first year as Commander of the Papua New Guinea…
G20 Brisbane Summit: Australia's adolescence on show
Australia had a prime chance to demonstrate its adult status in chairing the G20 Summit this year. What did it do with the opportunity?
It showcased some of the characteristic…
A 'barbarous relic': Why can't interest rates be negative?
Overnight, the European Central Bank once again opted for timidity, with interest rates remaining unchanged. The scale of the deflationary threat Europe faces is awesome. However,…
Hong Kong protests not a harbinger of change for China
After two months of protest and occupation, is the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement over?
It seems the protests are not going to achieve what they set out to do, let alone pose…
Beyond the Boom: A response to John Edwards
Senior economic policy makers, economic analysts, academics and commentators have been concerned about the daunting challenge of structural and budget adjustment facing Australia…
Why economics doesn't explain China's FTA decision
Malcolm Cook and I have been debating why China has been willing to bless Tony Abbott with an FTA when Mr Abbott has so strongly opposed Beijing's political and strategic…
East Timor, Australia and the 'Timor Gap'
Tom Allard recently reported in the Sydney Morning Herald that Australia and East Timor are ready to restart talks on the maritime boundary between the two countries, with all its…
Solomon Islands needs a parliament that will deliver results
The conduct of the general elections in Solomon Islands on 19 November appears to have been largely successful. An interim report from the Commonwealth Observer Team led…
ABC and SBS cuts: Australia's loss in a global century
The $254 million in cuts to the ABC budget, outlined today by ABC Chief Executive Mark Scott after Malcolm Turnbull's statement on Wednesday, have been coming for a long time – at…
Why does China bother with coercion?
Hugh White's willingness to admit his mistakes and revisit his assumptions is admirable. His error in predicting that China would punish Australia by withholding final agreement…