Diplomacy
A new “concert” to govern the Indo-Pacific
The joint statement issued following the weekend meeting of the four “Quad” leaders was titled “The Spirit of the Quad”. This title could be read as either self-affirmation or…
Iran: Could Australia’s hostage diplomacy have been better?
Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert has cast doubt on the Australian government’s strategy in securing her release from Iran last November.
In her first post-release public…
Her brilliant career
Book review: Sue Boyd, Not Always Diplomatic: An Australian Woman’s Journey Through International Affairs (University of Western Australia Press, 2020)
I first met Sue Boyd in…
Podcasts
The Director’s Chair: Frances Adamson on her career, Australian diplomacy and relations with China
In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Frances Adamson.
Terrorism and New Zealand’s dual citizenship conundrum
Last week, the issue of depriving an individual of their citizenship because of terrorist activity made headlines once again. An alleged Islamic State member, Suhayra Aden, had…
What happened to Australia’s “soft power”?
In October, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that it had discontinued its “Soft Power Review”, launched amid considerable fanfare in 2018 by then…
India, Canada and the new vaccine politics
The threat of wealthy countries hoarding vaccines for themselves and denying access to smaller and poorer countries has become the world’s primary cooperative concern. Yet how…
Policy Briefs
Eyes on the Prize: Australia, China, and the Antarctic Treaty System
Despite China’s increasing assertiveness in Antarctica, the Antarctic Treaty System is not failing and Australia should refrain from geostrategic panic
Foreign policy’s “Indigenous moment” is here
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta, the first Maori woman in that role, hit the ground running in her first few months in office. Not only did her appointment break…
Beijing’s “Wolf Warriors” score own goals
When China came for their kimchi, South Koreans knew they had had enough. Over the past several weeks, China’s state-backed Global Times has turned its crosshairs on Korea’s…