Australia has a split policy ticket on Donald Trump—quietly horrified at his multilateral impact, yet quite satisfied with the bilateral relationship. Multilateral smash-up contrasts with relative bilateral smoothness. Canberra clings to the Trump administration while …
Cascading wake-up moments have shaken Australia’s view of China over the past five years. The realisations—a succession of gee-whizz, crikey and oops events—have pushed Canberra to new places. The impact doesn’t amount to shock; this …
Australia must both hug the panda and slay the dragon. Simultaneously. A quarter of Australia’s international trade and well over a third of our exports go to a nation that might assault a Royal Australian …
A new layer of snow has settled atop the iciness of Australia’s relations with China. Beijing and Canberra bite and bicker over Covid-19. The words are hot but they speak of frigid relations. The diplomatic …
Covid-19 and China challenge Australia in the South Pacific. Add in the category-five severe tropical cyclone that’s just pounded Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga. The pandemic and the aftermath of Cyclone Harold constitute the …
In this time of Covid-19, Australia marks Anzac Day without dawn services and marches. Instead, a private ceremony will be broadcast from the Australian War Memorial. It’s another change in a unique Australian commemoration that’s …
Cyclone Harold crashed through the South Pacific. Covid-19 creeps towards the islands. Pandemic and cyclone should sharpen Australia’s thinking about what it can and must do in the South Pacific. My single most important suggestion: …
Southeast Asia is a wondrous experiment in comparative politics. Perhaps a galactic professor peers down, testing a spectrum of political systems, from the Malay Muslim monarchy of Brunei to the world’s largest Muslim democracy in …
Just as all politics is local, so Canberra is ever about politics (it’s the whole reason the place was built). Pandemic has smashed into Australia’s capital, remaking the dynamic and direction of politics. Normal politics …
Rank the threats, risks and challenges the South Pacific faces. What’s most significant? What matters most in the lives of islanders? Putting things in order of importance appeals to the orderly minds of public servants …
Merge a couple of fairy tales for some judgement lines on Australia’s Pacific step-up. Canberra likes to think of itself as the handsome prince. The Pacific islands, though, can perceive a sleeping beauty or a …
Australia is doing a lot of thinking about what steps to take in the South Pacific. How high does the ‘Pacific step-up’ have to go? How many different steps? Step style? Step hierarchy? How to …
