Global Issues
China's coal addiction
A recent paper in Nature says that 'no other country is investing so much money or generating so much renewable energy' as China. 'Its build-up of renewable energy systems at…
Whitlam's Indonesia leadership was far from 'visionary'
It is certainly fitting to examine Gough Whitlam's foreign policy record and considerable achievements. However, in seeking to whitewash the controversy over Whitlam's role…
Why Larry Summers might be wrong about China's growth
Forecasts of China's growth always attract interest, even when they are a year old. Larry Summers and Lant Prichett are getting another good run with the paper they published last…
Whitlam's visionary leadership on Indonesia
As commentators rightly eulogise Gough Whitlam's foreign policy achievements, most of the attention has focused on his grand outreach to communist China and the independence of…
G20 links: Tax mandates, WTO, protests in Brisbane, climate change and more
The Lowy Institute's G20 Studies Centre will present a weekly selection of links in the lead-up to the Brisbane G20 Leaders’ Summit on 15-16 November.
European Commission…
Can Australia remain a top 20 nation?
A few times over the past year, Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop has referred to Australia as a 'top 20 nation' or a 'top 20 country'. She prefers this to the standard…
The WTO is in big trouble
The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Roberto Azevedo, says the institution has descended into 'paralysis'.
Director-General of the World Trade…
Will Ebola take centre stage at the Brisbane G20 Summit?
While the media focus has been on the possible confrontation between Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the upcoming Brisbane G20 Summit, it is the…
Commentary
Ambitious foreign policy push yet to coalesce
Ambitous foreign policy push yet to coalesceDr Michael Fullilove17 October 2014Please click here for the online text.Michael Fullilove
Ebola: Lessons from earlier pandemic scares
In July 2014, Australia's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Chris Baggoley, assured us that the risk of the deadly Ebola virus spreading to Australia from West Africa was very low. At…