After the Iran war, Gulf nations face tough decisions on the US
Iran’s attacks across the Gulf have exposed the limits of the US security umbrella and forced regional leaders to rethink how they balance relations with Washington, Tehran and their own populations.
Recent articles in Politics
15 March 2026
Environment: Carbon credit markets benefit the participants but not the climate
Carbon markets still promise big but deliver little, the Global North’s economic development path will not work for the Global South, an uncontrolled sale of rat poison is needlessly killing native wildlife.
15 March 2026
Iran war – controlling the narrative
Claims that groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah are simply terrorist organisations reflect a political narrative that obscures the context of occupation and resistance.
14 March 2026
Australia’s multicultural success cannot be taken for granted
Australia’s multicultural project has delivered enormous social and economic benefits, but recent governments have allowed it to drift, weakening social cohesion and leadership when it needs renewed attention most.
14 March 2026
Grandstanding government right off-side – Message from the Editor
I have never been cynical about politics. At my 1980s high school, I confused many by having then Prime Minister Bob Hawke plastered across my A4 binder instead of Bruce Springsteen or Boy George. After starting life in journalism, where there were plenty of cynics, I horrified my editor by leaving to work for the Federal ALP. He dubbed the move the worst decision I had ever made. But I was unmoved.
14 March 2026
China’s tech ambitions, Nepal’s political upheaval and the BTS comeback – Asian Media Report
Five-year-plan stresses AI, Xi-Trump summit still on track, K-pop sensation’s global comeback, landslide win in Nepal elections, security risks self-radicalise online, and Manila drops Nobel laureate charges.
14 March 2026
Robodebt report is still not the end of the road
The National Anti-Corruption Commission’s Robodebt report provides transparency and some accountability, but key findings and the lack of public detail on APS code breaches leave troubling questions unresolved.
14 March 2026
Immigration and toxic nostalgia
A counterfactual simulation suggests Australia would be smaller, older and economically weaker today if immigration policy had remained restricted to predominantly European sources.
14 March 2026
The Age of Lies and the threat to civilisation
A global surge of misinformation – amplified by social media, AI fakery and organised disinformation campaigns – is corroding the foundations of democratic decision-making and public trust.
14 March 2026
Prevention that pays: stop ranking children and start understanding them
Standardised testing and rankings dominate school systems, but improving student wellbeing and engagement requires deeper integration between education and health support.
13 March 2026
Treatment of Iranian asylum seekers reeks of contradictions
Australia quickly offered protection to Iranian women footballers who drew global attention. At the same time, new migration laws aim to prevent other Iranian visa holders from even reaching Australia.
13 March 2026
Former defence leaders say oil wars threaten our security, and climate change deepens the danger
In full-page statements in the national media today, 19 Australian security practitioners and former Defence leaders have published an Open Letter on why Australia’s dependence on fossil fuels is a critical economic and security vulnerability.
13 March 2026
Ending native forest logging subsidies need not cost jobs
Claims that environmental reforms will destroy jobs in native forest logging are overstated. Labour market dynamics and the growth of plantation forestry point to a manageable transition.
