Recent articles in Politics
24 March 2026
The most liberal of Judges – Anthony Mason
Beyond his landmark judicial legacy, Anthony Mason’s later advocacy for a bill of rights and a republic remains a powerful challenge to Australia’s political conservatism.
24 March 2026
Albanese risks losing the voters who put him there
From foreign policy to domestic reform, Labor risks alienating key supporters and wasting a moment of political opportunity in a volatile landscape.
24 March 2026
The WTO is dead? Long live the WTO
Trade ministers gathering to reform the WTO risk starting from the wrong premise. The WTO’s dispute system is impaired, but its core functions remain active. Reform should build on what still works – not start from a false premise of collapse.
24 March 2026
The sinking of IRIS Dena: will hubris meet nemesis? Part 1
In a new three-part series, Ramesh Thakur examines the dimensions of the Iran war. In part one, he analyses the legal issues surrounding the sinking of the Iranian warship Dena.
24 March 2026
Randa Abdel-Fattah wins Jerusalem Peace Prize
Randa Abdel-Fattah has been awarded the 2026 Jerusalem Peace Prize, recognising her advocacy for Palestinian rights amid mounting political and institutional pressure.
24 March 2026
The Strategic Examination of R&D: can Australia’s innovation system reform itself?
A major new review sets out a coherent plan to reform Australia’s innovation system. But the real challenge is not design – it's whether the government can afford and deliver it.
23 March 2026
Australia’s dangerous blind spot in Southeast Asia
In this excerpt from his Quarterly Essay, Michael Wesley argues Australia has misread a changing world – clinging to old assumptions, over-relying on the US alliance, and overlooking the growing strategic importance of Southeast Asia.
23 March 2026
The meltdown of the Trump presidency: his oath was a betrayal - part two
The presidential oath is a binding constitutional obligation – but Trump's actions raise fundamental questions about what happens when that obligation is ignored.
23 March 2026
Israel is caught in a permanent state of war
An interview with Israeli academic and activist Idan Landau, who says “as long as the US and Europe continue to insulate Israel from the moral consequences of its policies,” things are likely to go from bad to worse.
23 March 2026
As the US destabilises, Asia Pacific steps up
As the United States shifts from stabiliser to disruptor, regional institutions in the Asia Pacific are becoming more central to maintaining order in an increasingly uncertain world.
23 March 2026
Power prices set to fall as renewables ease pressure on the grid
Electricity prices are set to fall across Australia’s main grid, with the regulator pointing to increased renewable energy and storage as key drivers – though global risks remain.
23 March 2026
Australia’s six pathways to the war with Iran: Part 2
From military bases to diplomacy and defence manufacturing, Australia’s long-standing ties are drawing it further into the US–Israel war on Iran.