The Post-War Era has seen the advent of regional integration through formal and informal multilateral organisations. While those such as the European Union and African Union are well known, the Australian Government should give further attention to those organisations within our geographic proximity, which play … Continue readingFRAGMENTATION OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM | CONSEQUENCES FOR AUSTRALIA
BY DEAN ANTOS – In Victoria, one political figure has stood apart from the rest due to their personal efforts to be on our TV screens each day – Premier Daniel Andrews. During his daily press conferences, Andrews has constantly stated that “staying apart keeps … Continue readingSTAYING APART HAS BROUGHT CHINA CLOSER
The arrest of high-profile Australian journalist Cheng Lei in China on suspicion of ‘criminal activity endangering China’s national security’ triggered a series of events that was coined by some commentators as a unique diplomatic standoff. This included Australian correspondents, Bill Birtles and Mike Smith, being … Continue readingJOURNALISTS: PAWNS IN A VOLATILE CHESSBOARD?
AUSTRALIA’S FOREIGN POLICY NOT SO INDEPENDENT AFTER ALL Travelling to the US during Covid-19 is no small effort and by doing so Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Payne and Defence Minister Reynolds demonstrated just how important the Australia-US alliance is. The agenda at the Australia-US Ministerial … Continue readingAUSMIN 2020
The highs are numerous and growing. Both nations are parties to a plethora of bilateral agreements including the Lombok Treaty (2006), the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2018) and the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (2019). Australia has committed significant diplomatic resources to Indonesia, with its network … Continue readingTHE AUSTRALIAN-INDONESIAN RELATIONSHIP
RECONCILING CULTURE, HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY “We do not, and cannot, aim to be ‘Asian’ or European or anything else but Australians.” – Paul Keating, 1994, Prime Minister 1991-1996. Who we are as a country and how we present ourselves to the world are questions Australia … Continue readingTHE AUSTRALIAN IDENTITY
Papua New Guinea is one of Australia’s closest neighbours, yet it largely goes unnoticed. It is a country with aapproximately 80 per cent of its population living in rural areas, with very little access to modern life. Many of the country’s tribes live in the … Continue readingPNG’S MOMENT OF TRUTH
LESSONS FROM THE PALACE LETTERS In November 1977, then-Governor General Sir John Kerr made an intoxicated appearance at the Melbourne Cup; one month later he announced his retirement as the Queen’s representative. For Kerr, it seemed he had finally succumbed to the burden of a … Continue readingTHE CROWN WINS, BUT DOES IT SAVE THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL?
Australia has faced the same policy issue for the past 15 years; Balancing economic ties with China, whilst sustaining its strategic relationship with the US in order to secure its position in the Indo Pacific region. However, caught in the crossfire of great power competition, … Continue readingAUSTRALIA’S POLICY DILEMMA
As cases of coronavirus surpass millions globally and many embrace government guidelines to remain at home, an intricate narrative of dissension has arisen, with fears of impingements on freedom, abuses of power, and poverty fuelling a complex story of rebellion. Over the third weekend of … Continue readingSHUT DOWN THE SHUTDOWN: THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE LOCKDOWN REBELLION MOVEMENT