The 2025 senate inquiry into university governance laid out the scale of the problem. Vice-chancellor remuneration has quadrupled in real terms since 1985. Casual and sessional staff now make up 49 percent of the university …
Articles by: "Anna Alexander"
The pressures facing regional universities are commonly attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic and the collapse of international student markets. But the financial and structural fragility now visible across northern Australia’s university sector began well before …
When the vice-chancellor of Charles Darwin University (CDU) resigned following vocational-training accreditation failures, the public response centred on leadership accountability. That focus is understandable, and governance failures require accountability. But the issues exposed at CDU …
A greater emphasis on subnational diplomacy, particularly regional Australia’s links to the Pacific, presents a significant opportunity for Australia’s regional foreign policy. When Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape met with Cairns Mayor Amy …
Northern Australia is primed for growth. Businesses and communities are stepping up, investing in new capabilities and pursuing opportunities in such sectors as energy, defence, agriculture, aviation and advanced manufacturing. Yet, ambitious efforts are hampered …
Australia’s Pacific ambitions will only be credible when proximity becomes part of policy design. Northern Australia sits at the centre of the Pacific, not at its edge. Yet, much of our national machinery for Pacific …
Northern Australia holds enormous potential, but for women in business and leadership, that potential is often constrained. The landscape is defined not just by distance or climate, but by the shape of opportunity: women receive …
Leadership today is too often confused with visibility. But being seen isn’t the same as being effective. In northern Australia, where the challenges are uniquely complex and the solutions must be collaborative, performative politics cannot …
The future of Australia’s critical minerals sector will test our commitment to sovereign capability, regional development and supply chain resilience. Despite billions in investment announcements and a growing list of international critical minerals partnerships, one …
When ASPI’s Cyclone Tracy: 50 Years On was published last year, it wasn’t just a historical reflection; it was a warning. Just months later, we are already watching history repeat itself. We need to bake …
According to current Australian political discourse, a 10-year-old is too young for social media, yet old enough to be imprisoned. This inconsistency should be a sign to policymakers that significant changes must be made to …
A missed opportunity? The Aviation White Paper and northern Australia’s regional aviation challenges
The Australian government’s Aviation White Paper—Towards 2050 outlines a vision for the future of civil aviation. While the White Paper represents a significant step forward, particularly in terms of decarbonising the aviation sector and enhancing …