Blog
Oceania
Palau Leader Stresses Need for US Help to Deter China in the Pacific
By Mari Yamaguchi
Speaking from Japan, Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr. said that three Chinese boats have made “uninvited” entries into his country’s waters since he took office in 2021.
Has China Overplayed Its Hand in the Pacific?
By Grant Wyeth
Fiji announced a reconsideration of its 2011 security agreement with China just before signing a new defense agreement with New Zealand. It was subtle but clear signal to Beijing.
What to Expect From Chris Hipkins’ Trip to China
By Geoffrey Miller
New Zealand’s prime minister is making his first trip to China at the end of the month.
Ben Roberts-Smith and the Legacy of the War on Terror
By Aisyah Llewellyn
A judge last week ruled that the decorated Australian veteran committed a host of war crimes while deployed in Afghanistan.
Fiji Reconsiders Security Ties With China Amid Pacific Tensions
By Nick Perry
Fiji’s government is finalizing a defense agreement with New Zealand, even while it considers scrapping a 2011 police cooperation agreement with China.
New Caledonia’s FLNKS Still Seeking Independence
By Dechlan Brennan
FLNKS says it is seeking advice from the International Court of Justice over the 2021 independence referendum, which the pro-independence party boycotted.
Australia’s Undeclared National Crisis: A Dire Lack of Affordable Housing
By Grant Wyeth
For Australia to be a country that truly values its security, it needs to offer its young, and not-so young, adults the conditions for them to thrive.
Albanese at the Modi Show: Blurring the Line Between Australian Diplomacy and Indian Domestic Politics
By Grant Wyeth
When Modi visit countries with significant Indian diasporas, he puts on a stadium performance which serves primarily domestic political aims.
Australian General Says US Warned War Crime Allegations Could Prevent Work With Australia’s SAS
By Rod McGuirk
The warning came in the form of a letter from a defense attache “indicating that the release of the Brereton report and its findings may initiate Leahy Law considerations.”
The Case for ‘Kangaroo Diplomacy’ in Australia’s Relations With Vietnam
By Hai Hong Nguyen
With the two nations expected to upgrade their relations to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" this year, Canberra has an obvious choice of "special envoy."
In Victoria, First Peoples’ Assembly Moves Toward Treaty
By Dechlan Brennan
Inaugural Co-Chair of the Assembly and Nira illim bulluk man of the Taungurung Nation Marcus Stewart said that the Victoria government can see that a “long-term commitment” for the treaty process is needed.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Cheered by 20,000 Fans at Sydney Stadium
By Rick Rycroft and Rod McGuirk
Modi is the only leader of the Quad nations to continue with his visit to Australia after U.S. President Joe Biden pulled out of a planned meeting in Sydney.