politics

Created
Thu, 20/07/2023 - 04:56
In the last few years, Australian and US foreign policy toward the Pacific has been framed as a benign influence, couched in money terms, offers and suasion. But in such offers comes that bit of intrusive steel, a less than subtle threat that gravitating into the orbit of another power, most notably China, will come Continue reading »
Created
Thu, 20/07/2023 - 04:57
The Royal Commission into Robo-debt has provided significant insights into how a cavalier government can ignore fundamental processes of good governance by ignoring accepted standards of decision making to pursue its ideological agenda. Commissioner Catherine Holmes is to be congratulated for her comprehensive consideration of the Robo-debt scheme which “lacked a legal framework and revealed Continue reading »
Created
Thu, 20/07/2023 - 04:58
Uzupis, a historic district of Vilnius, Lithuania and a vibrant artistic community, had unilaterally declared its independence from the rest of the country. It adopted three mottoes: “Don’t Fight,” “Don’t Win” and “Don’t Surrender.” These seem particularly apt for the ambiguous status of Taiwan with its anomalous international status and phantasmic national identity. Lithuania, the Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 19/07/2023 - 04:50
A ‘national emergency’ order on itself may be more useful as no country poses a greater danger to itself and others than the United States. Hong Kong continues to be a threat to the national security of the United States, according to the White House. That must be news to the city’s population. In 2020, Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 19/07/2023 - 04:51
The prior political experience of 2024 Indonesian presidential election candidate Ganjar Pranowo illustrates a strong pro-China lean for Indonesia if he is elected. Leading the largest party, his chances of success are considerable. On 21 April 2023, Ganjar Pranowo was officially promoted as one of the three presidential candidates for the upcoming 2024 Indonesian presidential election. This Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 19/07/2023 - 04:54
In May this year, Treasury created a furore when it announced net migration in 2022-23 would be 400,000 – a level Australia has never experienced. A political fight about who supported a ‘big Australia’ ensued but with neither major party indicating what they mean by ‘big Australia’. Apparently neither the Coalition nor Labor supports a Continue reading »
Created
Wed, 19/07/2023 - 04:52
On July 19, 2023, Australia celebrated the 50th anniversary of civil celebrancy. In her captivating book on Lionel Murphy’s life, Dr. Jennifer Hocking recounts how Murphy, almost single-handedly, persisted for several years to achieve the groundbreaking reform of no-fault divorce. It was an arduous and contentious struggle. As a corollary to no-fault divorce Murphy was Continue reading »