Australia’s political instability damages the national interest

Australia is one of the most successful and stable countries in the world, but our ‘revolving door’ of prime ministers over the last decade has damaged our ability to pursue long term policies for the public good.

Tides of change in the South Pacific

The tides of geopolitics are lapping on South Pacific shores. The region is seeing greater activity from both China and Russia and the independence vote in New Caledonia is fast approaching. These developments raise significant strategic questions and are worth exploring in greater detail.

Australia at the Pacific Islands Forum: getting our priorities right

Scott Morrison’s absence from the Pacific Island Forum, and his non-appearance at the April 2018 Forum Economic Ministers’ Meeting, suggest that Australia’s continued claims about prioritising the Pacific might be more hyperbole than fact.

Sydney hosts the inaugural Pacific Connect Forum

The International Centre for Democratic Partnerships (ICDP) and Global Access Partners (GAP) are hosting the inaugural Pacific Connect Forum at NSW Parliament House on Thursday 6 September.

Diverging regional priorities at the Pacific Islands Forum

Pacific Island leaders are likely to assert their interests at the expense of Australia’s at this week’s Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru.

Finding Australia’s soft power

Australia must engage neighbouring nations more strategically through official and public diplomacy if it is to remain a ‘persuasive voice’ in its own region.

Power plays in the Pacific

As the most recent signatory to China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, Papua New Guinea is increasingly turning to Beijing for investment and aid funding instead of traditional partners like Australia.

International Centre for Democratic Partnerships (ICDP) officially launches

After ten months of operations, ICDP is well and truly up and running.

Getting realistic about the South Pacific

There are plenty of new ideas about boosting engagement with the South Pacific, but steadiness, consistency and a good dose of respect will serve Australia best in the long term.

Don’t divert foreign aid spending to drought relief

Moving aid money to drought relief presents a simplistic and flawed solution that would diminish Australia’s influence in the Pacific region.

French classes in Australia need to acknowledge our Pacific neighbours

We need to change the way French is taught to young Australians to sustain geo-political relations with French-speaking Pacific nations in the future.

Open hands beat clenched fists in the Pacific

A combination of simple and immediate steps, symbolic events that build interpersonal connections and some ‘crazy’ ideas whose time is coming could inspire better relations with our Pacific neighbours than fearful policies couched in the language of risk and competition.