KISSING UP AND KICKING DOWN: AUSTRALIA IN THE PACIFIC

Australia’s relationship to the Pacific has been a complicated one, to say the least. We are one of the largest powers in the region, with a huge landmass relative to our neighbours, a developed economy, and powerful allies in the U.S. and the U.K. Compared to some of our closest neighbours such as the Solomon Islands, we are a whale amongst minnows. Yet if we expand our view out from our “backyard” to the broader Indo-Pacific, we see Australia is dwarfed by some serious powers. India, Japan, South Korea, China, and the U.S. are all exerting influence in the region and Australia is doing its level best to maintain its own interests amongst these. … Continue readingKISSING UP AND KICKING DOWN: AUSTRALIA IN THE PACIFIC

THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT | THE RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

The events of this last week can be described by a certain R.E.M song, as it truly is the End of The World as We Know It. It is hard not to imagine that we are living in a new world now after the events of the past couple of weeks. Russia has invaded Ukraine in a conflict that has already claimed, according to UN sources, 802 civilian casualties since it began over a week ago. … Continue readingTHE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT | THE RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE