Writer
Colin Chapman
Colin Chapman is a writer, broadcaster and public speaker, who specialises in geopolitics, international economics, and global media issues. He is a former president of AIIA NSW and was appointed a fellow of the AIIA in 2017.
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Jail for Zuma as South Africa fights corruption
The decision by South Africa’s top court to send former president Jacob Zuma to jail – albeit for an initial term of only 15 months – marks a significant milestone in the life of the fragile post-apartheid democracy. It signifies both the courage of the judiciary in the face of threats from Zuma’s supporter base Continue reading »
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Boris Johnson’s shady deals and its links to former Chief Advisor Dominic Cummings
You do not need to stray far from the suburbs of Australia’s largest cities to know that if you poke a stick at a King Brown snake it will strike. So, when Downing Street officials learned that Boris Johnson was launching a less than discreet campaign of media spin against the prime minister’s former friend Continue reading »
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Progress on Australia-EU-UK trade talks
Dan Tehan may well come to regret the timing of his swing through Europe to try and reignite interest in trade deals between Australia and the European Union and the United Kingdom. There has seldom been a week in April when the political agenda right across Europe is so full of events and crises of Continue reading »
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UK introduces Australian-style asylum system
Boris Johnson insists radical plans to reshape the way the United Kingdom treats asylum seekers are lawful, even as government lawyers prepare for a raft of legal challenges arising from the decision to create a two-tier system discriminating against ‘boat people’. Continue reading »
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What was QUAD about?
China is a challenge that must be met, but not with Trumpian belligerence. By setting up working groups in areas such as innovation, climate change and health, Biden is obviously prepared to pay a high price in both time and effort to convince Beijing that he is serious about challenging and competing with China while Continue reading »
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Rollercoaster ride: UK Budget a blueprint to tackle biggest decline in 300 years
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget speech veered from generosity to menace, from sobriety to hyperbole, from statesmanlike caution to political recklessness. It was a masterclass in presentation from the government’s best communicator. Continue reading »
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Spanner in the works: US tinkers with Mid-East foreign policy
The Biden administration has now made three significant moves in the cauldron of conflict that is the Middle East, although a deal with Iran looks set to be a sterner test. Continue reading »
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Brexit fallout: How London lost its place as the world’s financial capital
The Amsterdam stock market, which traded the first-ever equity in the Dutch East India company, has regained its position as the top European stock market after more than three centuries of trailing London. Continue reading »
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Covid-19 vaccine caught in the crossfire of EU, UK spat
Scientists and medical professionals are concerned that, in its attempts to justify the slow rollout of vaccines to the 448 million EU citizens, European Commission officials may have diminished faith in the efficacy of the vaccines globally. Continue reading »
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Beware walking into a dead end: Biden’s foreign policy
It is easy for a president to promise a new era and a return to old values. But there will be few takers for the notion of US supremacy, even if the US is led by a decent, elderly man who prefers international cooperation on his terms to lies, threats and pomp. Continue reading »
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The future on both sides of the Atlantic
2020 was a year most will wish to forget. Yet, we cannot do that. Too much of what has caused us so much grief and suffering, sending the world into a tailspin, will be carried forward into next year, rather like a bad balance sheet. Continue reading »
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EU proposal marking a new chapter
The European Union has reacted with uncharacteristic speed to US president-elect Joe Biden’s call for a revived and enhanced transatlantic relationship by circulating to the 27 member leaders and European parliamentarians a draft plan for a comprehensive new alliance. It is the second major initiative by the impressive German-born president of the European Commission, Ursula Continue reading »
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Boris spends big on defence and climate change
While facing what officials describe as a scary economic outlook with Britain’s finances in their worst state since World War II, Boris Johnson has announced a surge in public spending of over A$50 billion to combat climate change and modernise its military. Continue reading »
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High drama in Downing Street – Dominic Cummings sacked
Aficionados of the award-winning Netflix royal drama The Crown can look forward to a treat this weekend as the latest series gets under way, said to be the bitchiest yet. Meanwhile, the Dominic Cummings show has been playing nightly to an even bigger audience. Continue reading »
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The real originator of fake news is Trump
We always knew that Donald Trump would be a bad loser. It is not in his genes to accept defeat by not-so-sleepy Joe Biden with good grace, or even bad grace. Continue reading »
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A new dawn for international relations: Joe Biden and the Asia Pacific
Most of the leaders of the myriad of democracies in the Asia Pacific region slept easily in their beds on Wednesday night as Joe Biden came from behind to win first, the largest number of votes in any American presidential election and, second, what appeared to be a decisive lead in the number of electoral Continue reading »
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US Election: keep an eye on the swing states
The swing states to keep your eyes on are Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, and, of course Florida. All were won by Trump in 2016; if he falls in two or more of these states the chances are that Biden will be take the presidential prize. Continue reading »
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Foreign policy and the US election
Foreign policy has rarely been raised as an issue in the state-by-state verbalities ahead of the November 3 election. Nearly all the discussions have focused on domestic economic and social issues, with repeated arguments about the contrasting personalities and frailties of former vice-president Jo Biden and the incumbent at the White House, Donald Trump. Continue reading »
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Remembering Harold Evans (AIIA Oct 9, 2020)
Harold Evans had an indefatigable role in encouraging and expanding coverage of international affairs in the publications he edited and in the books he published. He also had great enthusiasm for hiring and fostering well-trained Australian journalists. Continue reading »
