Country
Australia
No-Confidence Vote in Vanuatu Fails
By Dechlan Brennan
Despite the outcome of the no-confidence vote, there is no doubt the constant political sniping – both by lawmakers and international players – is damaging to the internal politics of Vanuatu.
Why Did India Merely Observe Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023?
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
Despite earlier reports that India would actually participate in the Australia-U.S. led military exercise, New Delhi remained an observer of the latest iteration.
Is This the Australian Government’s Marshall Plan?
By Marc Purcell and Grant Wyeth
The Albanese government announced its new International Development Policy which aims to create the foundations for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
Australian Senate Committee Recommends Government Ban on TikTok be Extended to WeChat
By Rod McGuirk
The committee found that China and other authoritarian regimes continue to pose an unacceptable risk to democracies through targeted online disinformation campaigns.
Australia Welcomes Lifting of UNESCO Threat to List Great Barrier Reef as World Heritage in Danger
By Rod McGuirk
There are fears that a World Heritage in-danger listing would damage a tourism industry that revolves around the reef and employs more than 64,000 people.
Australia Moves Toward Vote on a Voice for First Nations People
By Grant Wyeth
No date has been announced for the referendum yet, but the decision has critical ramifications not just for First Nations people in Australia but Canberra’s international reputation.
Why Australia and the Philippines Are Natural Partners on Renewable Energy
By Nicholas Basan
Blessed with complementary capacities, the two nations stand to benefit from closer green collaboration.
Missing in Action? Australia’s Muted Response to Cambodia’s Autocratic Turn
By Anna Verney
Australian officials played an important role in creating the country’s democratic system, but have been puzzlingly silent as Prime Minister Hun Sen has leveled it to its foundations.
Multinational Talisman Sabre Exercises Underway
By Grant Wyeth
This year's iteration of the exercise burnishes Canberra’s credentials as a creative middle power with significant cooperative reach across the Indo-Pacific.
Robodebt and the Demonization of Welfare in Australia
By Dechlan Brennan
The scheme, engineered to claw back funds supposedly overpaid to welfare recipients, was broken and cruel from the start. Despite a royal commission’s findings, its political backers are unlikely to face punishment.
Australians Value a Relationship With China, But Still Harbor Concerns About Beijing
By Elena Collinson
A recent poll shows Australians are generally supportive of current efforts to stabilize the relationship, but there are also acute fears that Beijing poses a security threat to Australia.
This Week in Asia: July 14, 2023
The Diplomat’s weekly video round-up of Asia news.