In the latest of our Foreign Policy Rethink series, Peter Varghese outlines how alliance, region and multilateralism must be recalibrated for a more contested and uncertain global order. (more…)
Category: Top 5
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Japan’s arms sales, fatal law, and the K-pop community – Asian Media Report
Tokyo’s new weapons export rules, the never-ending China-Japan rift, Thucydides Trap’s historical flaw, Global South’s central ceasefire role, Asian fossil-fuels fall, and BTS manager’s arrest warrant. (more…)
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The Anzac story is bigger than we remember
The Anzac tradition honours sacrifice, but the broader, global contribution to the war effort remains under-recognised in Australia’s national memory.
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Turning waste into wealth
A vast “circularity gap” is driving resource depletion and risk, but closing it could unlock trillions in value and reduce pressure on the planet.
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Poorly designed campaign finance laws weaken our democracy
The High Court’s ruling on Victoria’s electoral laws shows how poorly designed campaign finance rules can undermine both fairness and the reforms they were meant to achieve.
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The return of great power relations: What can middle powers do? Part 1
As part of the Foreign Policy Rethink series, Geoff Raby examines how Trump’s shift to great power politics is reshaping the global order and forcing middle powers to rethink their strategy. (more…)
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A prime-time hit job on renewables falls apart under basic facts
Spotlight’s TV report on renewables and EVs collapses under basic fact-checking, highlighting how misinformation is shaping Australia’s energy debate. (more…)
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Labor’s foreign policy no longer matches the world it faces
In the second on our Rethinking Foreign Policy series Kym Davey says Labor’s foreign policy platform is out of step with current realities – clinging to US alliance settings while ignoring its own commitment to self-reliance and the opportunities of the Asia-Pacific. (more…)
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You can’t rush peace: the fatal flaws in the US–Iran talks
The collapse of recent US–Iran talks highlights how flawed negotiation design – not just substance – can doom peace efforts from the start.
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Plan B: insulating ourselves from the US
P&I today begins a major new series – rethinking Australia’s foreign policy. The United States is becoming more erratic and less reliable, and Australia must respond by insulating itself – strengthening regional ties, rethinking defence settings, and reducing strategic dependence, according to John Menadue.
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AUKUS and the sunk cost trap beneath the surface
As warfare shifts decisively toward autonomous and distributed systems, Australia’s massive investment in nuclear submarines risks locking in a costly and inflexible strategy. (more…)
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How the Greens could win 25 per cent of the vote
The Greens need to get out of their own bubble and do some very serious soul searching if they are ever to have broad appeal, argues a co-founder of the Queensland and Australian Greens, Drew Hutton. (more…)
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Cricket has survived every crisis – but this one may be different
Cricket has adapted and survived for centuries, but a new struggle over control – combined with climate pressures – may test the game in ways it has not faced before.
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The Middle East conflict is driven by competing theocracies
The Middle East conflict reflects competing theocratic mindsets in Iran, Israel and the US, where religious conviction is being used to justify violence.
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Chasing ghosts, losing votes
New research shows immigration is not driving voter anger, yet the Coalition is targeting it anyway – risking further losses in the diverse, urban seats it must win back. (more…)
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Shock, horror! An effective parliament in our time?
An ACT Legislative Assembly committee has strengthened proposed sentencing laws by listening to expert evidence and improving the legislation. (more…)
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On asylum, the Coalition is offering old fixes to problems of its own making
The Coalition’s asylum plan repackages familiar measures that have failed before, while sidestepping its role in creating a large and growing backlog of unsuccessful applicants. (more…)
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Electoral laws versus free political speech
The High Court has struck down a Victorian law favouring major parties, but the bigger test lies ahead – whether federal electoral changes unlawfully entrench incumbency and disadvantage challengers. (more…)
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Trump has turned the pope into an adversary – and exposed himself
By targeting Pope Leo XIV, Donald Trump has exposed the limits of political power when confronted with a moral authority it cannot silence or absorb. (more…)
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No one likes the Job-ready Graduate scheme – so why does it still exist?
The architect of the HECS scheme Bruce Chapman, says economists agree, the Job-ready Graduate scheme is bad economics. (more…)
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Defund, don’t debate – the playbook for silencing dissent
The closure of the Grace Tame Foundation exposes a troubling pattern – dissent isn’t debated, it is defunded through pressure applied behind the scenes.
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When the world changes, economic policy must too
A new geopolitical shock is exposing the limits of economic orthodoxy, echoing past crises where sticking to old rules only deepened the damage. (more…)
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The world acts for oil – but not for human life
Global powers moved quickly to end a war that threatened energy supplies, while years of mass civilian suffering in Gaza has failed to prompt meaningful action. (more…)
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War talks, danger for peacekeepers, and the ‘great insulation’ – Asian Media Report
Iran prefers Vance as lead negotiator, Indonesia’s Lebanon Blue Helmets ‘targeted’, developing countries seek superpower autonomy, Japanese troops join Philippines’ exercises, power centralised in Vietnam, and alarming loss of forest cover. (more…)
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The Farrer by-election is a test of One Nation’s rise
The Farrer by-election could reveal whether Coalition voters are shifting towards One Nation or prefer independents, with implications for future political strategy.
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The UAE alliance Australia won’t question
Australia’s deep military and political ties with the UAE expose it to risk while aligning with an autocratic partner. (more…)
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From Gaza to Minab – children are paying the price of war
The scale of children killed, wounded and orphaned in modern conflicts demands more than outrage – it requires a refusal to accept their deaths as normal.
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A culture of secrecy is taking hold in Canberra
The refusal to release the Pezzullo investigation report highlights a culture of secrecy across the public service and government.
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When will housing completions in Australia overtake population growth?
Australia’s housing pressures reflect years of mismatched policy – with falling supply colliding with surging migration and labour market shocks.
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Pope trumps Hegseth and his doomed crusade
Clashes between church leaders and Trump highlight tensions over religion, power and the justification of war. (more…)