Australia in the World
What should Australia be doing about the South China Sea?
It’s a mark of our turbulent times that China’s dangerous and illegal actions against the Philippines at the Second Thomas Shoal currently only sit in the second tier of…
Economic diplomacy: Hanging on in ASEAN
Passing lane
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Southeast Asia is “where Australia's future lies” and Treasurer Jim Chalmers says even more enthusiastically that …
Australia’s Southeast Asia trade stumbling block
Australia recently announced the creation of a $2 billion Southeast Asian Financing Facility to increase trade and investment in the region. While this is a good start, to get the…
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
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’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
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
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
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
Critical minerals are the world's building blocks for emerging and future technologies. They are essential to manufacturing, clean energy production, semiconductor production, and…