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.
Recent articles in Politics
22 April 2026
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.
22 April 2026
The diesel shock shows why government must help freight electrify
As diesel prices surge, freight operators face mounting pressure, highlighting the urgent need for immediate support and a longer-term shift to electrified transport.
22 April 2026
Study warns of terrifying Atlantic Ocean current collapse
New research shows a critical Atlantic Ocean current system is weakening faster than expected, raising the risk of irreversible climate disruption.
22 April 2026
On immigration, we’ve heard this before – and we were wrong then too
Warnings about immigration echo almost word for word the fears once directed at post-war arrivals – fears history has already discredited.
22 April 2026
When prisons expand, policy has already failed
Plans to convert a Covid quarantine facility into a prison reflect a justice system responding to pressure with infrastructure instead of addressing the drivers of incarceration.
21 April 2026
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.
21 April 2026
Why has populism's influence increased politically
Claims that rising inequality is driving populism overlook the evidence – stagnant wages and falling living standards are the more likely cause.
21 April 2026
It takes two to make alliances and the US may run away first
As US commitment to alliances wavers, Australia faces urgent questions about its security, independence, and place in a rapidly shifting global order.
21 April 2026
Duniam contradicts Taylor on Coalition immigration policy
Recent comments from Coalition Shadow Immigration Spokesperson Jonno Duniam expose inconsistencies in the party's immigration policy, raising questions about feasibility, cost, and intent.
21 April 2026
As warnings mount over Trump, Cuba pays the price
A renewed US oil embargo on Cuba is deepening hardship on the island, reflecting a long-standing pattern of intervention driven as much by ideology as strategy.
21 April 2026
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.
20 April 2026
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.