Australia in the World

Reflecting Australia as a career ambassador
Reflecting Australia as a career ambassador
After 29 years of service, last week I retired from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I am an unlikely Australian diplomat, having joined DFAT as a graduate trainee in…
Australia-Vietnam: Middle powers alike
Australia-Vietnam: Middle powers alike
On 7 March, Australia and Vietnam elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP), the highest level in Hanoi’s diplomatic classification. This places…
Australia confronts an Indonesian nickel glut
Australia confronts an Indonesian nickel glut
Australia’s undercooked economic relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was naturally a focal point of discussion during the ASEAN–Australia Special Summit…
Green transition: Supercharging a sustainable future for the Asia‑Pacific
Green transition: Supercharging a sustainable future for the Asia‑Pacific
The Asia-Pacific region, a beacon of economic growth, is projected to contribute an astonishing 60% to global GDP growth by 2024. At the heart of this region’s transformation is…
Don’t be timid about Trump, Australia, just roll with the punches
Don’t be timid about Trump, Australia, just roll with the punches
The late Allan Gyngell was right to characterise a “fear of abandonment” as a trait evident throughout the history of Australian foreign policy. Our fragile national ego has been…
Economic diplomacy: Politics rules in Korean envoy row
Economic diplomacy: Politics rules in Korean envoy row
Prosecutorial democracy South Korea has a curious habit of investigating, often jailing, and then pardoning former presidents since it embraced two-party democracy with…
China’s dominance over critical minerals poses an unacceptable risk
China’s dominance over critical minerals poses an unacceptable risk
Critical minerals are the world's building blocks for emerging and future technologies. They are essential to manufacturing, clean energy production, semiconductor production, and…
Some allies are more equal than others
Some allies are more equal than others
Senator Don Farrell admitted overnight that he got himself into a “bit of trouble”. The Trade Minister, unaccustomed to leading the government’s international talking points in…
Australia and deterrence: Dazed and confused
Australia and deterrence: Dazed and confused
Of all the problems confronting the nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) component of AUKUS, perhaps the most significant, yet relatively unremarked upon, concerns the question of how…
A “climate defence force” for the Pacific
A “climate defence force” for the Pacific
During the summer political slumber, Australian Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh indicated that Canberra was considering permitting recruitment from Pacific Island Countries …