23 Sep 2024 Out of the way, USA Mark Pierce Focus on the United States might well reduce our bandwidth for what is going on in other regions.
20 Sep 2024 Quad leaders trade symbolism over substance Daniel Flitton A practical agenda amounts to a fine aim. But such details don’t demand the scrutiny of busy leaders.
2 Sep 2024 The patriot’s virtue in bringing the world back home Mark Pierce Whether gauging global attitudes or assessing international interests, it pays to think first of home.
28 Aug 2024 Maid in Australia: When international relations and industrial law collide Daniel Flitton Two recent court cases have raised uncomfortable questions about diplomatic immunity.
27 Aug 2024 Hostage diplomacy: Fresh ideas to end a modern blight Sean Turnell A new Australian senate inquiry into the practice of imprisonment for leverage offer a chance to learn from international experience.
23 Aug 2024 Key questions for reform of the New Colombo Plan Ly Tran A boost to the ties that bind Australia and the Indo-Pacific is essential to humanising public diplomacy and building life-long connections.
14 Aug 2024 Wong’s century: A closer look at gender mix in Australia’s top diplomatic roles Daniel Flitton Female representation is near its highest. But some posts appear more equal than others.
13 Aug 2024 Where to for Australia’s First Nations Foreign Policy? 'Alopi Latukefu The climate is right to make environmental diplomacy a centrepiece of this new approach to the world.
1 Aug 2024 Smuggling budgies? Australia’s fight against wildlife trafficking David M. Andrews Masters of soft diplomacy and flag-bearers for Aussie tourism, our native animals need all the protection they can get.
26 Jul 2024 Remembering Martin Indyk, an American diplomat with Australian sensibilities The Interpreter “Few Australians have had such a large impact on the world, and for good”, said Lowy Institute Chairman Sir Frank Lowy.
24 Jul 2024 Shakespeare as life coach Mark Pierce Two new books examine how the Bard’s wit and wisdom can serve as guides for modern day policy and prophecy.
19 Jul 2024 Does democracy still matter in the ‘New Cold War’ between the US and China? Sushil Aaron Contradictions between the two models of governance make coexistence among superpowers difficult.
8 Jul 2024 Diplomacy at a funeral Tim Hamer Recent deaths of world leaders have highlighted that international relations can take place at unexpected venues.
27 Jun 2024 Julian Assange: Some consular cases are more equal than others Ian Kemish It’s hard to think of a case that has consumed more official hours and dollars.
26 Jun 2024 Hope for gold: The value in the Olympics Jenny Gordon An economic case is hard to make. Reputational risks abound. Yet hosts want the Games, and that’s no bad thing.
19 Jun 2024 How to broaden the political gene pool Mark Pierce With the United Kingdom headed for the polls, Alastair Campbell has a few suggestions on what makes a good leader.
18 Jun 2024 Bonjour Bill? The endless speculation about political postings Daniel Flitton Was former Labor leader Bill Shorten’s stint as Australia’s envoy to the Ukraine peace summit a dress rehearsal for a change in role?
14 Jun 2024 Back to the future for the US State Department? Alice Nason , Tom Corben Biden’s repair job after Trump turmoil is far from complete.
13 Jun 2024 From global to regional: Australia’s focus narrows Susannah Patton The real question about Australian foreign policy is whether it is too narrow, not too broad.
21 May 2024 Putting dollars behind “all tools of statecraft” Tom Barber The budget papers offer a chance to assess the government’s claims against fiscal reality.
6 May 2024 Between the two worlds of an Indian diplomat Adarsh Badri Independence wasn’t a break with colonial ties but a transition – a process which has accelerated in recent years.
1 May 2024 The rise and endurance of minilaterals in the Indo-Pacific Sarah Teo Will small groupings of nations last? Bet on self-interest.
27 Mar 2024 Reflecting Australia as a career ambassador Jenny Bloomfield Australia rightfully has a positive image, even if we’re sometimes better at telling our story abroad than we are at home.
21 Mar 2024 Economic diplomacy: Politics rules in Korean envoy row Greg Earl From Seoul to Washington, “captain’s pick” ambassadors are being embroiled by unexpected domestic political tensions.
6 Mar 2024 Grand strategising: The view from outside Mark Beeson , Van Jackson It is entirely possible that the US may soon install a very different policy elite with very different ideas about domestic and foreign policy.
26 Feb 2024 Five surprises from Lowy’s Global Diplomacy Index Jack Sato Revealing the who, what and – just as importantly – where of foreign policy.
16 Feb 2024 Putting “Australia” at the centre of the country’s foreign policy Melissa Conley Tyler , Grant Wyeth A “whole of nation” approach can better connect the various elements of Australia’s international engagement.
22 Jan 2024 Diplomacy: How to pick those who represent us Mark Pierce Australia’s top envoys can draw out the best, whether professionals or politicians.
9 Jan 2024 Navigating the strange minilateralverse of madness Brendan Taylor The vogue has seen a boom of small Indo-Pacific gatherings, but a hard look is needed to decide which are sustainable.
8 Jan 2024 Five ideas from Allan Gyngell for a better foreign policy Vafa Ghazavi Gyngell saw “national interest” as a matter for democratic discussion, always valuing the search for solutions.
20 Nov 2023 What roles should sport play in Australia’s image and diplomacy? Stuart Murray The government has dropped the ball in the strategic opportunity presented by sports.
15 Nov 2023 The foreign policy case for the PM to spend more time at home Daniel Flitton Instead of tall poppy syndrome, ask about effectiveness.
10 Nov 2023 China-Australia: Smartening up people-to-people links Angela Lehmann Universities play an essential role in everyday diplomacy, fostering a genuine affection between the two countries.
27 Oct 2023 Climate negotiations in a fossil fuel state: What to expect from COP28 Melanie Pill Even with outcomes uncertain, there are three big topics likely to dominate the upcoming talks in Dubai.
23 Oct 2023 A sign of the times: the resurgence of pacts, treaties, and alliances David M. Andrews Once dismissed as a “scrap of paper”, the vogue for written pledges has returned.
16 Oct 2023 Australia’s next challenge for Indigenous foreign policy Daniel Flitton The defeat of the Voice referendum may be a chance to tell a broader story about the challenges facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
6 Oct 2023 Pump up the volume: Music diplomacy as soft power Kate Clayton From jazz ambassadors to Eurovision, it’s time Australia employed the persuasive power of pop and beyond.
29 Sep 2023 Great expectations: Australia’s elusive Southeast Asia vision Stephen Grenville Diplomacy, economic partnerships, copper mines and instant noodles - the Moore Report has much to reflect on.
25 Sep 2023 Australia’s support for Bangladesh will bolster regional stability David Brewster It's not clear what Washington hopes to achieve in isolating Dhaka, but Canberra must take a different tack.
16 Aug 2023 Can the Matildas waltz onto the world stage for Australia’s sport diplomacy? Tim Harcourt Sporting ambassadors have previously helped with big international investments. Let’s go again.
4 Aug 2023 Women belong everywhere and this World Cup proves football can be the great equaliser Jessica Collins Respect for female athletes “tearing it up on the pitch” must translate into respect off the field, too.
3 Aug 2023 The vanishing options for Julian Assange Donald R Rothwell Extradition for the WikiLeaks founder to the United States looks likely unless Anthony Albanese can persuade Joe Biden otherwise.
6 Jul 2023 Australia’s absent ambassador must return to Ukraine Dave Sharma If the PM won’t provide more than a few military off-casts in support, sending back the top envoy should be an easy step.
21 Jun 2023 O'Farrell leaves India with ties to Australia at a high point Navdeep Suri The incoming High Commissioner has big shoes to fill after a remarkable time of rekindled relations.
25 May 2023 Economic diplomacy: Taking cover from the summit war of words Greg Earl Proliferating regional institutions risk becoming shooting stars, with a long trail of bureaucratic half-lives behind.
25 May 2023 Decoding diplomatic dynamics in Asia: The numbers tell a captivating story Susannah Patton , Jack Sato China, Japan and Indonesia each lead the US with a higher tempo of top-level diplomatic activity in the region. But defence ties differ.
17 May 2023 Biden’s trip cancellations reveal pitfalls of a crowded diplomatic calendar Daniel Flitton Bailing on Australia and PNG highlights the growing risk of disappointment when leaders are clambering to summits here, there, everywhere.
16 May 2023 Indigenous Voice: Getting ready to explain to the world if Australia votes “No” Hugh Piper The referendum is a pivotal moment for global perceptions of Australia. Diplomats must be ready whatever the outcome.
9 May 2023 DFAT: Show me the money Daniel Flitton Reports of a boost to spending to Australia’s diplomatic machinery need to be judged against what has been cut before.
14 Apr 2023 No Albo at NATO, no worries Patrick Triglavcanin Australia’s diplomatic effort has been in overdrive. That doesn’t change by not sending a minister to Vilnius.