Australian foreign affairs
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Truth telling about ceasefire in Gaza
We have all condemned fake news, and the lies continually spread on social media, but do we recognise that our political leaders and responsible journalists fail to promote truth telling in significant political debates which reflect the kind of society we have become? Continue reading »
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Overcoming Australia’s Euro centric Anglo cultural paradigm and symbiotic military alliance with the U.S.
The ABC should be the voice of reason in Australia’s society, and that reason should loudly proclaim that Australia is in the middle of Asia and it is in its self interest to act in accordance with that geographical fact. Continue reading »
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A five-minute scroll
Bob Carr reminds the Israel lobby that Australia has voted in the UN alongside our partners. In Gaza, realities of bombings in displacement camps, the challenges of winter and fleeing attacks. Ben Gvir has banned the call to prayer (not the first time). In London, a “Yes it is genocide” flag is rolled out in Continue reading »
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Another nail in the coffin for Australia’s phantom defence needs
The US submarine base was always going to come first, not for the sake of supplying useless boats for Australia’s phantom defence needs, but for keeping an ever watchful US imperium stocked. Continue reading »
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“Absolute savagery”: What is stopping Australia from holding Israel to account?
Why won’t you hold Israel to account? You don’t have to wait for the rest of the world. You can be the leaders, you can be the leaders to hold Israel to account, for the slaughter of tens of thousands of Palestinians, for the killing of Zoni Frankcom.” – Senator Mehreen Faruqi, addressing the Australian Continue reading »
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Satellite honours for AUKUS: Joe Courtney’s Order of Australia Award
Joe Courtney, who serves as Congressman for Connecticut’s second district, has received a rather curious honour. It has come in the form of a tribute from a US satellite – some would rightly say annexure or some other subordinate status. A press release from his office on October 22 announced that Rep. Courtney had been Continue reading »
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Trump Redux: what matters to foreign relations
As the novelty of Donald Trump’s win wears off, we have moved beyond the superficialities of the views of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Ambassador Kevin Rudd about the Trump agenda and persona. Continue reading »
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Recall Rudd
The Foreign minister Penny Wong should recall Kevin Rudd as Australia’s ambassador to Washington. Continue reading »
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As US puppets the Australian political class rejects international humanitarian law
One thing which was crystal clear from the vigils in Australia on 7 October 2024 was the almost complete unanimity between the Labor-Coalition political class at federal and state levels to only attend vigils solely commemorating the deaths of Israelis, while simultaneously completely ignoring vigils commemorating the deaths of Palestinians, or vigils commemorating the deaths Continue reading »
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Dutton and Netanyahu’s projection of good and evil
The leader of Australia’s Opposition, Peter Dutton, is aligning himself with a proposition about good and evil, civilisation and tyranny, that can only lead to the perpetuation of violence and the glorification of war, not its diminishment. The position of both men is dishonest, self-deluding and dangerous. Continue reading »
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On green growth land, we meet each other
As the curtain of the Paris Olympics fell, I was thinking of the first Olympics I had experienced and reported back in 2000 when I was a Chinese correspondent based in Canberra. Continue reading »
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The Albanese Government has consistently ignored advice about the humanitarian disaster in Gaza
Since the onset of the Gaza War, many Australians have urged the Albanese Government to speak up in condemning the Netanyahu regime’s constant breaches of international law and to act urgently to protect innocent civilians in Gaza and the West Bank. Continue reading »
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Rediscovering Australia’s Asian destiny
Australia must awaken a spirit of enquiry and zest about our region and the belief that our destiny as a nation rests there. Continue reading »
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The insignificant seven
In a blow that will strike little fear into the hearts of the Israeli Government, Foreign Minister Wong has announced sanctions against seven West Bank settlers. Continue reading »
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Stabilisation, but deeper relationship stymied by Australian mass media sinophobes
Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit underscores the significance of the Australia-China relationship, especially given China’s status as Australia’s largest trading partner. A deeper relation should develop, but that will take time. Trust needs to be reestablished not only at diplomatic and business levels, but also in the Australian mass media, whose China opinion writers have Continue reading »
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Espionage death sentence the latest challenge to China–Australia relations
Australian citizen Yang Hengjun’s death sentence for espionage in China has complicated the improvement of China–Australia relations. The case highlights concerns about China’s legal system, particularly regarding national security cases where the judiciary lacks transparency and independence. Despite international condemnation, China continues to issue numerous death sentences. The case also underscores the growing mistrust and Continue reading »
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Down-payments on our own destruction
Australians used to be scared off voting Labor by Coalition predictions of debt, deficit, and disaster. Labor used to shame Liberals and Nationals with promises of spending to end child poverty, close the indigenous gap, and create a clever country. All that was before AUKUS. Continue reading »
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Living in fear: Can Australia protect its citizens from our dangerous American ally?
The Extradition hearing of Dan Duggan, an Australian citizen and father of six who has been held in solitary confinement for 19 months in breach of U.N. conventions at the request of the United States, will be held this Friday in a Magistrate’s Court in Sydney. Continue reading »
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Australia ‘Gone Missing’ on preventing genocide
Newly declassified documents reveal how early and how much Australia knew of Israel’s genocide in Gaza after 7 October – and how it is failing to uphold its international obligations. Continue reading »
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Faced with an Israeli Pariah, Wong decides on Palestinian statehood
Foreign Minister Penny Wong conveys Australia’s decision on Friday 10 May to the UN General Assembly on whether Palestine should be admitted as a full member. This, after years of conflict over Palestine between Labor and the Coalition, and disagreement within the ALP, is a definitional moment for Australia. Continue reading »
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China dropped a flare near an Aussie copter in its EEZ. What’s wrong with that?
Patriotism, they say, is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Judged that way, there seem to be a large number of scoundrels around within the Australia media and also the Canberra political elite. Continue reading »
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The Albanese government needs to come clean on its support for Israel’s war crimes
Israel’s crimes against humanity, war crimes and its acts of genocide against the Palestinian people are, without a doubt, the most horrific acts committed by a ‘democracy’ since the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War. Yet despite this fact the Australian government refuses to warn or investigate whether any Australian citizens or companies are Continue reading »
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Chinese universities want more Australian students: we should send them
Australia is trailing its neighbours in the race to acquire China knowledge and capability, which can only come from in-country experience, writes Louise Edwards. Continue reading »
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ASEAN Summit a timely background for this week’s talks with China
The recent ASEAN-Australia Summit in Melbourne was widely well received. Leaders of all member countries, except Myanmar, attended. Some—President Marcos of the Philippines and Prime Minister Anwar of Malaysia—also carried out quite extensive individual programs. Speeches and comments reflected general agreement, and there was an impressive list of follow-up practical actions, many of them with Continue reading »
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Visit to Australia by Chinese Foreign Minister HE Wang Yi
The Chinese Foreign Minister, Mr Wang Yi, is in Australia this week to participate in the China-Australia Foreign and Strategic Dialogue with his Australian counterpart, Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Continue reading »
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Government shock as subordinating foreign and defence policy to US strangely unpopular with voters
A recent Essential Poll published in The Guardian proves yet again that silly questions often get silly answers. Continue reading »
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Asia, America or independence: Australians have decided, will politicians listen?
A recent poll conducted by The Guardian found that nearly twice as many people agreed with Paul Keating’s suggestion that Australia should be an independent ‘middle power’ in Asia, rather than an ally of the United States. Perhaps the electorate are smarter than some of our political class seem to think. Continue reading »
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Phoney secrets and scares about foreign powers
One thing is certain about espionage agencies. They are not averse to creating alarm in order to give the impression they are protecting us from threats by ideological fanatics internally or by hostile foreign powers. There is always a kind of self-fulfilling prophesy about their pronouncements and the most recent panic about an unidentified former Continue reading »
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Geopolitical rivalry as hypermasculinity contests: The case of Australia-Philippines strategic partnership
The Australian-Filipino strategic partnership is contrived in hypermasculine terms. This has potentially catastrophic consequences for the region and the planet. Continue reading »
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Is there a problem with Australia’s approach to human rights in the PRC?
Human rights in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are under increased threat. The PRC government ignores international representations. This begs the question: should Australia even attempt to intervene? What do we risk by doing so? The easy course would be to do the minimum and restrict our representations to cases where Australian citizens and Continue reading »
