November 2, 2024

Zionists’ inflammation of antisemitism

The primary focus of the Zionist movement and the Israeli lobby is not combating anti-Semitism but rather combating critics of Israel’s colonial apartheid regime and the crimes it is perpetrating against the Palestinian people.

April 1, 2024

Firingup the Palestinian pressure cooker

It’s patent weakness suggests the US will show no great spine in leveraging a two state solution.

March 30, 2024

Lights on or lights out?

In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.

March 20, 2024

Dtente: Towards a balance of power between the USA and China

Former Foreign Ministers Bob Carr and Gareth Evans, other former Cabinet Ministers, former State Premiers, a Nobel Laureate, diplomats, writers, academics and human rights advocates are among 50 Australians supporting an appeal to establish dtente between the United States of America and the Peoples Republic of China.

January 6, 2024

Environment: The best of Peter Sainsbury

Reporting a climate of hope and despair for the environment in 2023, Peter Sainsbury has brought us a raft of issues impacting our environment in his weekly report. We share a selection here to round off 2023.

December 12, 2022

Its a season to be a warmonger

Its the season to be jolly and appreciate wrapped presents with surprises that are not true surprises. And the Christmas present most appreciated for a good number of the thinktank military establishment in Canberra will be conflict with Beijing. If not now, then when?

December 4, 2022

The War Memorial is again running away from the Frontier Wars

The Australian War Memorial has passed from then Council Chair Brendan Nelsons 29 September announcement of a much broader, much deeper treatment of Australian frontier violence to todays buzzwords of proportionate and modest. The people who welcomed what looked like a change in direction at the Memorial have the right to feel dudded.

November 2, 2022

Target Oz: Defence Strategic Review must address nuclear risks

The Defence Strategic Review must act in accordance with Australias commitment to sign the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (the Ban Treaty) and not seek to compromise that path by supporting roles in nuclear warfare alongside the US.

March 24, 2022

History repeating: expecting injustice

_When are we going to get justice? Ned Jampinjinpa Hargreaves, Warlpiri elder

February 2, 2022

An unreliable buddy: our US security blanket will fray if Trump returns

The US alliance is defended as maintaining a rules-based international order, to Australia’s benefit. Yet Trump’s return may see a rapid retreat.

December 2, 2021

The National Press Club exemplifies the erosion of journalism

The National Press Club sells access to influential journalists to organisations with vested interests in shaping government policy and self-promotion.

November 3, 2021

Allegations about China and carbon pollution are rooted in racism

It’s wrong to paint the Chinese as the world’s biggest environmental villains, but mainstream media outlets do it all the time.

February 27, 2025

Dutton’s stuff-ups: Nuclear plan will blow up Paris and emissions targets, CCA says

Choosing a nuclear power future over renewables will blow up Australia’s carbon emissions budget and create a carbon time bomb of up to two billion tonnes in extra greenhouse gases by 2050, a new analysis from the federal government’s Climate Change Authority says.

February 21, 2025

Locked up in Beijing: Anti-China Media Watch

An Australian national is locked up in a Beijing jail for five years. Led by Sky News, the media maintains his innocence, based on nothing more than his word… and the “fact” that innocents are locked up because the Chinese police are jealous.

November 3, 2024

The politics of appeal and the asymmetrical valuing of lives

On October 11, I attended a vigil for Palestinians in Federation Square, Melbourne. The event did not attract politicians’ censure as it was sufficiently distanced in time from Jewish vigils on 7 October.

March 15, 2024

How well is the Albanese Government communicating with Australians?

Since the 1980s I have been urged by my Labor Party colleagues to keep political messages simple and to listen to the local community.

February 7, 2024

11,500 children have been killed in Gaza. Horror of this scale has no explanation

Two hundred and sixty names of babies whose age was 0; names of babies who didn’t get to celebrate their first birthday, nor will they ever celebrate anything else.

December 5, 2023

The Elders call for urgent review of foreign military assistance to Israel over Gaza atrocities

The Elders today call for governments providing military assistance to Israel to review their approach, and set conditions for any future provision. They warn that Israels renewed military campaign in Gaza risks fuelling an escalating cycle of mass atrocities.

November 27, 2023

Xenophobia and threats to Australias knowledge of China

The failure of the latest round of government-funded research grants to include any topics related to China weakens Australias capacity to understand and manage relations with the regions biggest power, writes Louise Edwards.

November 24, 2023

Two solutions for the "Question of Palestine"

In these terrible times in the wake of October 7, there is one perception as to which the Israeli government and virtually all other governments now publicly profess to agree, sincerely and passionately in the Israeli case and at least rhetorically in the case of the Global West: The “Question of Palestine” can no longer be ignored or “managed” but must, finally, be definitively resolved.

February 26, 2023

SSNs for the RAN: A response to Brian Toohey

Brian Toohey (Pearls and Irritations, 14 February 2023) makes a number of criticisms of the recent four-part series on national security by Michael Keating and myself that was published in Pearls and Irritations earlier this month. He contends that we have made assertions that should not go unchallenged, particularly in regard to our support for the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) by the RAN.

February 16, 2023

Myths and a Ukrainian settlement

As the first anniversary of Russias invasion of Ukraine approaches and an escalation in the conflict on the ground seems likely with the passing of winter, it is appropriate to begin to think about the terms of a possible settlement.

February 10, 2023

China containment line buttressed: Asian Media report

In Asian media this week - Taiwan key to first island chain control. Plus: US fosters belief war is inevitable; why the West thinks it speaks for the world; independence anniversary but nothing to celebrate; balloon saga shows why US must act tough; nothing can live in Manila Bay.

November 27, 2022

Dutch court convicts on MH17: what about IA Flight 655?

_Should the Dutch Court decision on the downing of Malaysian airliner MH 17 set a precedent for the trial of weapons suppliers? _

January 19, 2022

Artists stand up for human rights: boycott of Sydney Festival was the only option

Performers are right to protest when their performance is compromised through association, in this case by a government that has initiated apartheid.

November 18, 2021

Speak without fear, as long as you're a white, male, Christian conservative

Who can and cannot express their truth is defined by the people who have always held power, and patrolled in the digital age by online shock troops.

October 4, 2021

In 50 years, Australia has never bought the best submarine for its needs

As always, when it comes to submarines, the latest Australian deal has more to do with the Morrison government’s election strategy than national security.

October 19, 2020

The CIA can't kick its old Middle East habits

Unless it was an intended consequence of CIA machinations for Muslim Brotherhood ideologues to have access to experienced Jihadists militias whenever and wherever they were required, US foreign policy calculus may have gone awry.

December 29, 2024

‭Israel wants to occupy our universities. Not in our name!‬

The inclusion of anti-Israel and anti-Zionist actions and speech in the definition of antisemitism is a gross infringement on freedom of expression in this country, the group Jews Against the Occupation ‘48 says in a submission to a government inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities.

November 6, 2024

Why Israel and the IDF meet the criteria for proscription under Australian Anti-Terror laws

If Australian anti-terror laws are to be considered principled and fair, they must apply equally to all organisations that meet the criteria, including state military forces where appropriate.

October 13, 2024

Anxious Democrat voters find new ways to self-medicate as election looms

Standing in the tiny foyer of a small theatre that had seen better days on a residential street in inner-city Philadelphia, I asked a fellow theatre-goer standing next to me, “Are you looking forward to some comic relief?”

March 2, 2024

Nicaragua institutes ICJ proceedings against Germany for complicity in Gaza genocide

The Republic of Nicaragua yesterday instituted proceedings against the Federal Republic of Germany in the International Court of Justice for facilitating the commission of genocide and [failing] in its obligation to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide by providing political, financial and military support to Israel and by defunding the UNRWA.

February 14, 2024

Why do Chinese EVs meet so much resistance?

There was a time when the world looked to China to reduce its emissions. China was, they quite rightly pointed out, one of the globes worst polluters.

January 26, 2024

The latest nuclear power renaissance is going in reverse

Nuclear power went backwards last year despite the hype about a new nuclear renaissance’. Meanwhile, renewables enjoyed record growth for the 22nd consecutive year.

January 5, 2024

Political polarisation in the United States: The series

America is Australia’s great and powerful friend so it matters a great deal how reliable our firmest strategic partner is. Is the US heading for a degree of political dysfunction that could blow back into its steadfastness as a leading player and an Australian ally in a multipolar Indo-Pacific? In this series, Roger Beale explores the issues underlying the polarisation that has been building in the US political landscape and, as the Presidential election ramps up, is showing deeper cracks that could impact the country’s internal stability. How will this impact the United States’ foreign policy and how will Australia respond?

December 11, 2023

Sino-US normalisation: the real legacy of the late Henry Kissinger

Henry Kissinger’s role in expediting the Sino-US normalization and recognition process represented one of the greatest feats in modern diplomatic history_._

December 7, 2023

Australia has abandoned international law

Two months have passed since the events of October 7. Publicly, Australia has done nothing except perhaps indicate that it desires a two-state solution, and expects Israel to only take action which has regard to the need to protect civilians. Is this enough? The answer is no.

November 16, 2023

West must acknowledge Israels rights are not untrammelled

Everyones talking points have in bold type - Israel has the right to defend itself. This simplistic American militarist jargon is treated as if there was an untrammelled right. International law hasnt emerged to facilitate war, but to constrain it.

November 2, 2023

Looking on the bright side: Report from Beijing

Australian Studies scholars in China are optimistic that relations can get back to normal. This is the impression I gained from a recent symposium at one of the major Australian Studies Centres in that country. University colleagues I met while in Beijing were all encouraged by news of the forthcoming visit by Prime Minister Albanese and had great hopes for positive outcomes.

March 16, 2023

From Yellow Peril to Red Alert

Although it is in America’s interests that we are urged to prepare for war against China within three years, the graphic image that accompanied the ‘Red Alert’ alert series in the Age and Sydney Morning Herald was designed to speak directly to Australia’s own deep and distinctive historic fears and sense of geographic isolation.

January 6, 2023

2022 the year of 'de-Westernisation': Asian Media Report

In Asian media this week Indonesia to be an active ASEAN chair. Plus South Koreas global aspirations; Western and Asian views of the West; Anwar pledges to crack down on corruption; Softer tones in Taiwan rhetoric; Kishidas diminishing political capital.

December 22, 2022

Why a colour revolution will not work in China

There was some recent evidence of an attempt at a colour revolution within China a few weeks ago but, in order for a colour revolution to happen there needs to be significant factors in play. Those factors are absent and this means any attempt to ferment unrest inside Chinas Mainland is going to be an expensive and embarrassing failure.

November 26, 2022

The book that changed me: Hannah Arendts Eichmann in Jerusalem and the problem of terrifying moral complacency

Hannah Arendt publishedEichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evilin 1963. Over the next two decades alone, it would be republished some 30 times, first in the United States and then Britain, as debate swirled around both its arguments and its author.

October 22, 2022

Australia re-joins majority international position on the status of Jerusalem

In reversing the recognition of West Jerusalem as Israels capital the Albanese government has re-joined the majority international position which insists the status of Jerusalem can only be resolved in a final peace agreement between the two parties.

February 20, 2022

Why the 21st Century will be an Asian one

Most thoughtful observers know in their gut that the 21st century will be the Asian century. Data backs this up.

February 2, 2022

The China threat industry hasnt turned up any bodies

If its true that Beijing is intent on subverting liberal democracies, why havent Chinese agents of influence been exposed in Australia?

January 6, 2022

Cambodia's Hun Sen and Myanmar's junta: a meeting of despotic minds

Human rights are unlikely to be high on the agenda when a human rights abuser becomes the first foreign head to hold talks with Myanmar’s top general.

November 24, 2021

Postcard from Shanghai: Prospects are sunny, hope the cloud passes

Businesspeople in this bustling Chinese commercial hub have never seen the China-Australia relationship in such disrepair.

January 7, 2025

Our media ignores the elephant in the room: Israel’s illegal occupation

It falls to someone to bring the discussion concerning what is happening in the Middle East, back to the elephant in the room. And what is the elephant? It is the fact of illegal occupation and what is not being done about it.

Pearls and Irritations

John Menadue's Public Policy Journal