International law
Maid in Australia: When international relations and industrial law collide
Australia has seen two extraordinary cases brought before the courts in recent months that have tested the limits of diplomatic immunity. This is not the cliché of foreign envoys…
Hostage diplomacy: Fresh ideas to end a modern blight
The dramatic 24-person prisoner swap between Russia, the United States and a number of other countries this month drew the world’s attention again to the vexing issue of so-called…
Australia–ASEAN maritime cooperation: A focus on the whole risks losing sight of the parts
Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations share aspirations for the future of the region, evident at the March special summit in Melbourne with agreement on a …
The dehumanisation danger
Imagine you no longer have control over your life, you are referred to as an animal, a number, a parasite, or an object. Your family do not know if you are alive or dead. Others…
The Yazidi still wait for justice
Yazidis in Australia and around the world have been on a ten-year quest for justice for the crimes perpetrated against them, victims of an ISIS genocide in Iraq and Syria.Nadia…
Long arm of the law: China’s extraterritorial reach
Holding citizens legally accountable for their actions while overseas has been a source of diplomatic tension since ancient times. This is perhaps no more true than in today's…
The deadly consequences of misclassifying foreign fighters in Ukraine
The legal classification of an estimated 20,000 foreign fighters from 52 countries participating directly in the Ukraine hostilities is not just a question of semantics…
Does democracy still matter in the ‘New Cold War’ between the US and China?
Robin Niblett, a former director of British think tank Chatham House, has published a new book that has received high praise from notables such as Hillary Clinton, Kevin Rudd and…
Rising tensions over outer space – a new diplomatic hot zone
At the NATO Summit in Washington last week, leaders noted the rising threats in space. The technology orbiting the Earth is critical to the digital world and underpins both…
Overcoming the deliberate legal ambiguity adopted by China’s coast guard
While laws should provide clarity and transparency, China’s recent orders regarding maritime jurisdiction appear to be deliberately based on ambiguity and uncertainty. This has…