International law
Ukraine: Don’t write off the international order – read and rewrite it
Given all that is on the line right now in Ukraine, the persistence of the so-called “rules-based international order” is probably not high on the list of most people’s concerns…
It’s a mistake to allow Myanmar’s junta to appear in Rohingya case
While the military coup in Myanmar has dominated mention of the country in international news over the last 12 months, the slow wheels of international justice for the Muslim…
Navigating the limits in the South China Sea
Barely noticed, but nevertheless of some international legal consequence, is the latest effort by the United States to cast doubt upon the legality of Chinese maritime claims in…
Regulating unmanned underwater vehicles in Indonesian waters
According to the Indonesia Ocean Justice Initiative, between 2018 and January 2021, a large number of Chinese vessels “deactivated” their AIS transponders – the automatic…
The legal case for defending Taiwan
In a recent discussion in The Interpreter of whether it would be legal to come to the defence of Taiwan, Ben Saul concludes that “a betting person might be tempted to back the…
Podcasts
Rules Based Audio (Episode 3): In Conversation with Hilary Charlesworth
In this episode of Rules Based Audio, Ben Scott talks to Professor Hilary Charlesworth
Would a war over Taiwan be legal?
Australia’s former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has called for “solidarity” with Taiwan in the face of China’s “intimidatory sorties” testing its air defences. As the war drum…
An opening on the ICJ and an opportunity for renewal
In the early 20th century, the Peace Palace in The Hague – seat of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) since 1946 – was envisioned as “a sort of holy place”, “prized … by…
Line in the sand: How sea-level rise is challenging international law
The effects of sea-level rise for islands are real and increasing attention is being given to the emerging international legal issues. The World Bank last week released a new…
The law when putting autonomous military platforms on a shopping list
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) does not currently deploy highly autonomous devices – whether weaponised or not. Existing devices tend to be remotely piloted and unarmed, or,…