LABRADOR, Australia: Ex-Cyclone Alfred stalled off the rain-and wind-lashed coast of eastern Australia on Saturday (Mar 8), threatening to unleash floods after blacking out more than a quarter of a million homes and businesses. The former tropical cyclone – now downgraded to a tropical depression – has battered the coastline withContinue Reading
Australia’s alliance with the United States, as former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who is now Canberra’s ambassador in Washington, once remarked, is the “bedrock” of the country’s foreign and defense policy. Since the end of World War II, Australia’s security and prosperity have been predicated not only on the primacyContinue Reading
SYDNEY: Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ruled out calling a national election for April on Sunday (Mar 9) or Monday, as had been expected, so his government could focus on approaching cyclones in Queensland. A national election must be held by mid-May, which was expected for April, so the governmentContinue Reading
Online influencers might not change the way Australians vote in the looming federal election but they’ll almost certainly shape how and why political events become “news.” In a nation where up to 40 percent of users on popular platforms like YouTube and TikTok get their news from influencers, they’re likelyContinue Reading
I am a product of ancestors who thought beyond themselves. They dreamed of the places we would journey to and thrive. My family spread out from Tonga to various parts of the world, and my parents brought us here, to Australia. Here, we have had opportunities to grow, to learnContinue Reading
Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party’s hope of clinging to government in 2025 hinges on dramatically reshaping their pitch to voters more concerned about hip-pocket issues than broader economic messages. Reforms to the composition of the reserve bank and positive economic trends might excite financial markets, but everyday voters needContinue Reading
As President Donald Trump and his administration set about tearing up the foundations of the international order and U.S. global leadership, and discarding decades worth of soft power, it is an understatement to say that middle powers like Australia are left in an extremely delicate position. Trump has threatened alliesContinue Reading
There are currently more ongoing conflicts in the world than in any time since World War II. Within these conflicts there is also a breakdown of the rule of engagement – with an erosion of international humanitarian law and an increasing disregard for the protection of civilians. Mechanisms to bringContinue Reading
In early February, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade released its new International Gender Equality Strategy. The strategy is designed to target Australia’s development assistance toward improving the conditions for women and girls – with an understanding that societies faring better in the treatment of women tend to also haveContinue Reading
The rise of “dark advertising” — personalized advertisements increasingly powered by artificial intelligence that evade public scrutiny — means Australians face a murky information landscape going into the federal election. It’s already happening and, combined with Australia’s failure to enact truth-in-advertising legislation and big tech’s backtracking on fact-checking, means votersContinue Reading
