17 Jan 2023
Fiji’s new politics
After a first smooth change of power, forging consensus in a nation renowned for ethnic tension poses a continued test.
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17 Jan 2023
Australia should have more public holidays – but make them civic and secular
Allowing people to choose their own days of significance would better reflect our modern national identity. -
16 Jan 2023
A seat at the negotiating table: How women are building peace in Yemen
Peace is not just the absence of conflict but dismantling the structures that contribute to gender-based violence. -
16 Jan 2023
Towards meaningful Quad cooperation on intelligence
Collaborative AI capabilities would allow the partners to deepen military cooperation, should leaders choose that step. -
13 Jan 2023
PNG needs a census, not more population estimates
Knowing a true number of residents is crucial to set development goals – for local government and foreign partners. -
13 Jan 2023
Undue suspicion of Chinese Australian scientists slows progress
Clear guidance is needed how national security is assessed in research and what are the boundaries of collaboration. -
12 Jan 2023
The hard road to justice for Russian war crimes
Prosecution of war crimes in Ukraine are crucial to maintain international law and the peace and security it promotes. -
12 Jan 2023
Our public holidays should reflect Australia’s multicultural make-up
Many countries in the region already have more public holidays to recognise diverse cultural and religious populations. -
11 Jan 2023
Crossing the carbon border
International trade is skewed in favour of exporters who pay less for carbon emissions. The EU wants to change that. -
10 Jan 2023
The Korean Peninsula: Why 2023 will not be like 2017
“Fire and fury” had more to do with the temperament of the White House, while Pyongyang provokes with purpose. -
10 Jan 2023
Avenging the century of humiliation, one artefact at a time
The looting of Beijing’s “Garden of Eternal Brightness” by European armies in 1860 lingers in tales of the diaspora. -
9 Jan 2023
Asian Century White Paper: a decade on
The language may have changed, but the message stays the same. -
6 Jan 2023
Twenty years after Bali
Indonesia’s police, military and prisons were altered by the 2002 attack. Democratic backsliding may signal an undoing. -
5 Jan 2023
Australia’s mainstream media neglected Asia’s Covid stories
A heavy focus on how the US and UK struggled with the pandemic further removed Australians from their neighbourhood. -
4 Jan 2023
The personal is political: Iran protests for a normal life
The regime has trampled not only women’s rights. An array of grievances makes everyone a leader of this struggle. -
3 Jan 2023
CCP: Who makes up the party
Demography is destiny, as is said – and the numbers in China make for a compelling story. -
30 Dec 2022
How to Interpret 2022: A Taiwan crisis
One of Asia’s flashpoints again tested regional relations, as well as analysts. -
29 Dec 2022
Pop culture politics: How to Interpret 2022
“Soft power” or reputation risk, the cross-over of popular entertainment and global politics is never far from the news. -
28 Dec 2022
How to Interpret 2022: Australians change government
What our columnists and contributors made of the protagonists and power plays during this year’s federal election. -
27 Dec 2022
How to Interpret 2022: Solomon Islands strikes a deal
Honiara’s foreign policy caused ripples across the region, as we round up highlights of the year from The Interpreter. -
23 Dec 2022
How to Interpret 2022: Russia invades Ukraine
Vladimir Putin seemed convinced Kyiv would fall in days. We look back at ten months of war. -
22 Dec 2022
The Interpreter 2022: Your most-read articles
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine dominated the year. But readers also wanted to know all about Southeast Asia’s elections. -
21 Dec 2022
Seeking independence: three books to read this summer
From Timorese history and Bougainville’s dreams to Australia’s regional stories, catch up on essential background. -
21 Dec 2022
Covid-19: from crisis to closure?
Moving from pandemic to endemic, many countries have not learnt the lessons of disease preparedness. -
20 Dec 2022
Fiji’s coalition of convenience: what’s next?
A focus on recovery from the pandemic makes international support essential, whichever coalition forms government. -
20 Dec 2022
Zelenskyy: when the “Lion of Kyiv” addressed the Lowy Institute
The anatomy of an interview with a wartime president. -
20 Dec 2022
To unchain Indonesia’s commodity reliance
Riches from minerals and agriculture resources are yet to transform the local economy. Wider reforms should be the goal. -
19 Dec 2022
A focused direction for the Quad
Doubling-down on existing initiatives – rather than new goals – will see the grouping deliver tangible public goods. -
19 Dec 2022
China’s catch-up game in the Middle East
For all the promises and praise, there is little prospect of displacing deep ties between the Gulf nations and the West. -
19 Dec 2022
Christmas in Ukraine: hope, defiance, determination
Celebrating under a shadow cast by war. -
16 Dec 2022
Beyond binary choices in Australia China relations
Trade partner or security threat? Might we escape the trap of over securitisation with more diversity in leadership? -
16 Dec 2022
A changing aid landscape in the Pacific
Budget support was favoured during the pandemic, with loans — which must be repaid — also overtaking grants. -
15 Dec 2022
Economic diplomacy: From pollie crises to polycrisis
There are political bunfights, strategic challenges and wicked problems, but let’s not “overcrisify” the world. -
15 Dec 2022
Allies, algorithms and safety online
Echo chambers of extreme content are a growing concern for governments and regulators around the world. -
14 Dec 2022
A step-up for China’s involvement in the Middle East
Beijing will not soon supplant Washington as a dominant security partner – but the Arab world sees a chance for leverage. -
14 Dec 2022
Why the cryptocurrency ecosystem is a house of cards
The tumultuous picture surrounding cryptocurrencies this year has been sobering – a contagion of negative effects. -
14 Dec 2022
It’s complicated: psychology and national security decisions
Thinking about the plethora of security threats all at once is hard – which can increase the risk of bias intruding. -
13 Dec 2022
2022: A global turning point
Looking at trends and contours that have coalesced this year to make international politics more contested and unpredictable. -
12 Dec 2022
North Korea’s “Take Your Daughter to Work Day” goes ballistic
Does the appearance of Kim Jong-un’s “beloved” middle child signal more than just succession planning? -
9 Dec 2022
US-Australia alliance: beyond sentiment
Of supporters or sceptics alike, new research shows most Australians view the alliance via a cost-benefit analysis. -
9 Dec 2022
MP slush funds used to maintain power in PNG
The more cash, the more chance of an incumbent ruling party’s success at elections. -
8 Dec 2022
AUSMIN: the submarine conundrum
It’s a big challenge to manage the ambition for nuclear-powered subs and still juggle other crucial defence decisions. -
8 Dec 2022
We need to talk about war decisions
Australia has just embarked on a parliamentary inquiry into how it makes choices about when and why it goes to war. -
7 Dec 2022
All in the family: North Korea’s means of nuclear survivability
Kim Jong-un’s daughter reveal might be about keeping a trusted finger on the nuclear button more than succession plans. -
7 Dec 2022
Australia could lead the way on Rohingya crisis
Canberra is well placed to broker a new deal for resettling the region’s most vulnerable refugees. -
6 Dec 2022
The US may force the Philippines’ (willing) hand
A visit by VP Kamala Harris has revitalised a military pact and shown how Bongbong Marcos views America’s regional role. -
5 Dec 2022
Islands of opportunity: Australia and India’s chance to collaborate
The Indian Ocean region is too large for any one country to manage but cooperation on island territories would help. -
5 Dec 2022
Why outsourcing counter-terrorism online won’t work in future
Policing online hate speech currently falls into a murky space shared between governments and big tech. -
2 Dec 2022
Kevin Rudd on Jiang Zemin, steward of China’s rise
Jiang offered rare colour as a leader who saw a “strategic opportunity” for China in engaging with the world. -
2 Dec 2022
Australia wants to attract the world’s best? Make it easier to migrate
An overdue review can start fixing national skills shortages by smoothing the way for workers and families to settle.