Australia’s role in a multi-polar world

With Donald Trump intent on fracturing the Western alliance and withdrawing US security guarantees, New Zealand and Australia need to think carefully about their interests and how best to position themselves in a multipolar world.

A volatile year ahead

Australia is a fortunate nation, but fortune is not a strategy. The fractures reshaping the global order are no longer abstract or distant. It is not even the end of January, yet 2026 is already proving to be a pivotal year.

Ordering off the menu

Mark Carney’s speech at Davos offered a refreshing alternative to the insane ravings of Donald Trump and are a wake-up call to Australia and other ‘middle powers’ to stand up for the international order, rather than meekly accommodate the madness of the current American regime.

America walks away

Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from international bodies and agreements, and his flouting of long-standing democratic norms requires other democratic nations to step up to defend themselves against authoritarian threats and hostile actors.

Rethinking diplomacy

Modern diplomacy extends far beyond foreign ministries and ambassadors, as domestic officials, civil society groups, and business leaders increasingly engage in transnational governance networks. Australia needs comprehensive training programs to prepare this diverse range of actors for effective international negotiations and cross-border policy work.

Expelling the ambassador

Australia’s expulsion of Iran’s ambassador underlines the point that democracies must be able to act on intelligence-driven probabilities to defend sovereignty while still upholding the highest burden of proof in the courts.

Delegated diplomacy

The last decade has seen a substantial rise in scholarly writings on the value of diplomacy. American political scientist David Lindsey’s Delegated Diplomacy: How Ambassadors Establish Trust in International Relations contributes to this trend, arguing that diplomats remain important in the making of world politics and do so in surprising and paradoxical ways.

Stop talking, start punching

Australia must stop talking about being a middle power that punches above its weight. Talking about it is far less interesting to the rest of the world than Australia actually doing it.

Say hello, wave goodbye

Trump’s abandonment of traditional allies and alliances should force Australia to rethink its priorities and cleave to long-established principles, rather than blindly follow the USA down a potentially disastrous path.

Australia’s role in a shifting world order

With global conflict escalating and civilian protections eroding, Australia has a strategic opportunity to assert leadership in upholding international humanitarian law.

Citizen diplomacy

Citizen diplomacy is reshaping global politics as ordinary individuals take on more active roles in advocating for democratic values and influencing international affairs. Sparked by Barack Obama’s call to action, this movement challenges traditional state-centric diplomacy and demands greater accountability from political leaders.

Mea culpa

Australian Army analyst William Leben discusses what he got wrong about Australia’s relationship with Papua New Guinea, major military acquisitions, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and what can be learned from it.