Region
Oceania

Donald Trump’s Long Shadow Over Australia’s Election
By Emma Shortis
Trump’s return to power in the United States was always going to have some impact on the Australian federal election. Will it prove decisive?

West by Sea: Why the Pacific’s Security Should Be Anchored in Indo-Pacific Partnerships
By Sione Tekiteki and Joel Nilon
Pacific nations must look to themselves and their neighbors – particularly those in Southeast Asia – to secure the Blue Pacific Continent.

Why Australia Needs International Students
By Grant Wyeth
International students make important contributions to Australia’s economy, soft power, and – though it’s often overlooked – urban development.

Trading Debt for Conservation in Tonga
By John Augé
Tonga owes over $100 million to China. Debt-for-nature swaps could be a win-win solution to a looming debt crisis.

Australia and Japan’s Hydrogen Partnership: Navigating Ambitions and Realities
By Antara Mascarenhas and Parul Bakshi
The slow development of Australia’s hydrogen industry brings the future of Australia and Japan’s potential hydrogen trading relationship into question.

Australia’s Preferential Voting System and Diversification of Politics
By Grant Wyeth
Australians are clearly seeking something more complex from their political system. Something reflective of a society with array of interests and ideas.

Why the Port of Darwin’s Chinese Leaseholder May Welcome an Australian Buyout
By Colin Hawes
As Landbridge faces serious solvency issues in China, the most pressing risk threatening the port is a financial one.

Australia’s China Policy in the Lead-up to the 2025 Federal Election
By Elena Collinson
Australia’s fragile bipartisan consensus on China is beginning to fray, but the differences are largely in tone and rhetoric, not substance.

Australia’s Third Election Debate Overshadowed by Pope’s Death
By Michelle Grattan
Even as pre-polling started and the third debate was held, both Albanese and Dutton cut back on their campaigning in the wake of the death of Pope Francis.

This Is How Washington Loses the Pacific Islands
By Camilla Pohle
The U.S. is harming Pacific Islanders, destroying its relationships in the region, and letting China win the competition for influence.

The 4 Keys to Australia’s Democracy Edge
By Amanda D. Lotz
Threats to democracy seen in the U.S. are a global issue, but differences in the media and political systems limit their impact in Australia — for now.

PLA Assertiveness in the Tasman Sea Is a Wake-up Call on China’s Dual-Use Infrastructure in the Pacific
By Domingo I-Kwei Yang
China embeds its military ambitions within Pacific Island nations by developing dual-use infrastructure such as ports, wharves, fisheries, aviation hubs, and ICT networks.