• Global Access Partners

    New BESS edition released


    Peter Fritz |  November 28, 2023


    The October 2023 double issue of BESS® explores the self-governing practices found in Indigenous societies, the growing ‘trust divide’ between our elected politicians and the electorate, the practical applications of positive deviance and the Second Track, and the new forms of political, economic and decision-making frameworks required to tackle global challenges.


  • Environment

    Why biodiversity matters


    Open Forum |  November 28, 2023


    A year on from the COP15 summit of the Convention on Biological Diversity, a new book by UQ ecologist Nigel Dudley builds a case for “Why Biodiversity Matters” and why we should care if species go extinct.


  • Cybersecurity

    Australia’s new cybersecurity strategy


    Mike Bareja |  November 28, 2023


    The cybersecurity strategy released last week by the Albanese government recognises that Australia’s government, industry and citizens must work together to reduce the threats posed by criminal gangs and hostile state actors.


Latest Story

  • Farming carbon

    Rachel Standish     |      November 24, 2023

    Farmers have cleared much of Australia’s natural vegetation over the last two hundred years, and while carbon credits have been exploited for private gain rather than public good, replanting schemes can help restore our land and atmosphere to a more sustainable balance.

  • Vale, Ted Hopkins

    Max Thomas     |      November 23, 2023

    Open Forum regular Max Thomas bids farewell to a former Australian Rules team-mate who graced the field for Carlton before pursuing a varied career in business, publishing and writing. He also founded Champion Data, a pioneering AFL statistics platform which continues to thrive today.

  • Stand with Ukraine

    Matthew Sussex     |      November 23, 2023

    Violence in the Middle East has overshadowed Ukraine’s triumph in crossing the mighty Dnipro river to liberate areas occupied by Russian invaders for a year and a half. This is not the time for the West to get bored or distracted, or, even worse, re-elect the unspeakably awful Putin supporting Donald Trump.

  • Moral fights

    Alan Stevenson     |      November 23, 2023

    Our commitments to moral values can hamper rather than motivate progress towards basic humanitarian goals, indeed, moral motivations frequently exacerbate rather than relieve suffering, injustice and hatred.

  • America in the Pacific

    Richard Clark     |      November 22, 2023

    The USA emphasised a ‘whole-of-government effort’ in engaging with the Pacific at the US Institute of Peace’s Interorganizational Global Forum on security cooperation in the Pacific islands in September.

  • The keyless key to cyber-security

    Open Forum     |      November 22, 2023

    A cutting-edge collaboration between tech startup Tide Foundation and RMIT University is translating ground-breaking research into homegrown cybersecurity capability.

  • The great energy rip-off

    Open Forum     |      November 22, 2023

    Australia’s sky-high electricity prices are often blamed on the gradual switch to renewables or global inflationary pressures but the fact remains that network businesses have pocketed supernormal profits of $11 billion – on top of “normal” profits of $16 billion – since 2014.

  • The heat is on

    Open Forum     |      November 21, 2023

    The latest annual Emissions Gap Report from the UNEP has found the world is heading for 2.5-2.9°C temperature rise above pre-industrial levels unless countries step-up action and deliver more than promised in their 2030 pledges under the Paris Agreement.

  • Talking together

    Mario Peucker     |      November 21, 2023

    The fight against misinformation and disinformation must be combined with rebuilding trust in public institutions, parliaments, governments, the courts, the media and the police and create a more cohesive and less polarised society.

  • People have the power

    Open Forum     |      November 21, 2023

    Despite the importance of new technology, people remain at the heart of Australia’s armed forces.

  • Australia’s grand strategy

    Peter Layton     |      November 20, 2023

    The grand strategy methodology is a useful framework with which to consider Australia and its contemporary international policies and activities as a middle power.

  • Dark stars

    Ryan Keeley     |      November 20, 2023

    Astronomers have known for decades that the universe is expanding, but current models cannot explain the speed with which it is taking place.