Australia
Something fishy about China’s anger over the Quad’s open ocean plans
Some international issues should be non-sensitive and uncontroversial. One of these is the regulation of fishing fleets to prevent overfishing and ensure the sustainable use of…
An agenda for the AUSMIN talks
When Australia’s foreign and defence ministers look across the table at their US counterparts at the annual AUSMIN talks in Brisbane on Friday, they will be looking at the…
Nuclear weapons: “Oppenheimer” won’t make a difference, but Australia can
Oppenheimer is a big disappointment for those of us who hoped that this super-hyped, all-star-cast new movie might give new life to the nuclear disarmament cause, creating new…
It’s no surprise Australia shrugged off China’s campaign of trade coercion
It has been clear for some time that China’s campaign of trade coercion against Australia has been rather ineffectual, either in imposing significant economic costs on Australia…
What is Australia’s role in supporting Timor-Leste?
With Timor-Leste’s new government sworn in – and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong having paid a visit this month – it’s a good time to look at Canberra’s role in supporting…
Nobody ever teaches anyone how to be a Minister
Book review: Penny Wong: Passion and Principle, by Margaret Simons (Black Inc. Updated edition 2023)
Contemporary political biography is the art of working out how our leaders…
Reports
Multiculturalism, Identity and Influence Project 2020–2023 Summary
The Lowy Institute’s Multiculturalism, Identity and Influence Project (2020–2023), funded by the Department of Home Affairs, comprised three nationally representative surveys of…
Economic diplomacy: Japan’s message in a gas bottle
New emissions
When Japan’s ambassador Shingo Yamagami left Australia earlier than scheduled in April, the Albanese government probably hoped it would get a break from his…
The north’s defence of Australia
One of the key elements of Australia’s Defence Strategic Review (DSR), publicly released in April this year, was the recasting of the Australian Defence Force’s thinking on…
The emergence of “collective strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan
Since terminating its formal alliance with Taiwan in 1979, the United States has adhered to a policy known as “strategic ambiguity”. The Taiwan Relations Act, which Congress…