April 2024
Who will Trump pick as his running mate? In 2024, the ‘Veepstakes’ are higher than usual
Being second in line for leadership of the most powerful country in the world is not an easy job.
March 2024
Coalition’s nuclear powerplay a “cynical distraction”
Rather than backing cheap and abundant renewable energy, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has gone all in on nuclear.
The Coalition goes nuclear
After scarcely mentioning it for nearly a decade while in government, the Coalition are now hot to trot on nuclear power – but why?
The Coalition’s nuclear power crusade is a futile distraction
Nuclear energy really is remarkable.
Who Pays the Piper…Universities Dance to the AUKUS Tune
When AUKUS was announced, the ANU was quick off the mark to cash in.
Fire extinguishers, not guns
The Australian Government should be using its unique position to leverage our close relationship with the United States over the ongoing conflict in Gaza, writes Dr Emma Shortis.
It’s a good thing if Trump doesn’t like us
Instead of worrying about whether Trump hates us, we should be thinking, together, about how to forge a world which remains free of his demagoguery, writes Dr Emma Shortis.
National Press Club Address – Yanis Varoufakis
Yanis Varoufakis addressed the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday 13 March, 2024.
February 2024
Valentine’s Day, Indonesia style
Wednesday 14 February is a big day in Indonesia. The nation goes to the polls, and a new President will be elected. A popular and successful President will be succeeded by one of three candidates, none of whom is especially popular or generates much enthusiasm among voters.
January 2024
Brace yourselves… US Election 2024
With the Iowa Republican caucus over, the starting gun on the 2024 US Election has fired, with the promise of a dramatic election year, and democracy itself on the ballot. This was recorded on Tuesday 23rd January 2024 and things may have changed since recording. australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute Guest: Dr Emma Shortis, Senior Researcher, International &
If Trump comes back, do we want him as our ally?
“Who in God’s name does he think he is?”
Weapons of mass obstruction hurt democracy
Be it administrative incompetence, secrecy and trickery, the failure of the Morrison government to hand over Cabinet documents about the Iraq War to the National Archives should trigger serious analysis of how Australia enters conflicts, writes Ebony Bennett.
If Trump returns to the White House, should we rethink the US alliance?
With a Trump resurgence looming, the Australian Government’s fixation on AUKUS should not come at the expense of what we are frequently assured is one of the core components of the US-Australia alliance: shared democratic values, writes Dr Emma Shortis.
Truth on Trial: War Crimes and Whistleblowers | Summer Series
Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars and live events in 2023. The first person will face trial in relation to Australian war crimes in Afghanistan is David McBride, the whistleblower on trial, not an alleged war criminal. On the eve of David McBride’s trial, a distinguished panel
Trump 2024 and America’s Democracy Problem
As the anniversary of the Jan 6 insurrection approaches, what are the implications of the crisis of American democracy, or a more successful coup attempt, for the rest of us? With a few important exceptions, there is startlingly little written – in Australia, internationally and even within the United States – on the “what if”
December 2023
Biden’s Burden: Four Percentage Points, a Struggling Economy and a Fragile Democracy
In the United States, one of the men vying for the presidency faces 91 criminal charges in four concurrent criminal cases.
Big Petrostate Energy
The United Nations annual climate conference, COP28, is wrapping up, and it’s crunch time. Is there going to be a mention of actually phasing out fossil fuels? Or will we have more of avoiding the issue? This was recorded on Tuesday 12th December 2023 and things may have changed since recording. australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute Guest: Polly
November 2023
Clive Palmer of…Singapore?
Clive Palmer, one of Australia’s richest men, is suing Australia for $41.3bn, claiming it breached the ASEAN free trade agreement in relation to coal exploration permits. But he’s doing so…as a foreign investor? Stephen Long explains how Clive Palmer’s controversial legal strategies challenge Australia’s trade agreements and environmental laws. Stephen Long is a Senior Fellow
Who knew Queensland’s richest man is a foreign investor?
Clive Palmer’s controversial legal strategies challenge Australia’s trade agreements and environmental laws, and have profound implications for global climate action, writes Stephen Long.
International Charm Offensive
In a less than ideal week for the government, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has copped some criticism for how much overseas travel he’s been doing. Most PMs have been subject to criticism for travelling, so how seriously should we take it this time? This was recorded on Tuesday 21st November 2023 and things may have
Who cares about national security?
In parliament last week, responding to the temporary blocking of a legislative favour to Santos, Foreign Minister Penny Wong berated the opposition. The bill – which did eventually pass – is designed to facilitate massive expansion of the gas industry.
October 2023
With US trip, PM Albanese flies into the light
On election night in 2020, President-elect Biden reassured the American people that despite everything they had endured for the past four years, “I believe at our best, America is a beacon for the globe.”
McCarthy’s fall and the far-right influence on American foreign policy
Critical support for Ukraine’s war effort could be torpedoed by a small minority of US congressional extremists.
September 2023
The Special (Economic) Relationship: Australia and the US
The Australia-America economic relationship is one of the world’s most consequential, worth over $2 trillion, yet few understand its depth and scale. This was recorded on Thursday 3rd August 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Joey Herlihy, Research Intern, International & Security Affairs program, the Australia Institute
Tuvalu Pledge Can’t Greenwash Australia’s UN Climate Ambition Failure
The Australian Government has again taken a bandaid approach to climate action, announcing a climate adaptation partnership with Tuvalu at the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit in New York while remaining steadfastly committed to fossil fuels.
The Australia-US Alliance has Long Gone Unchallenged. The Delegation to Free Julian Assange Changes That
The Australian politicians pushing for Assange’s release represents a rare crack in the wall of bipartisan support for the sacrosanct alliance.
Eating the three-eyed fish: where is Australia on nuclear wastewater in the Pacific?
The Australian government’s muted response to Japan’s release of Fukushima wastewater into the Pacific raises serious questions about its commitment to the region and Australia’s history of standing against nuclear testing.
August 2023
An Eventful Trip to Fiji
The Labor Government has been campaigning for Australia to host COP31, the UN climate conference, in partnership with a Pacific Island nation. But Pacific Islanders have several concerns, mainly due to Australia’s track record with new fossil fuels, and lacklustre climate policy. This was recorded on Wednesday 30th August 2023 and things may have changed
June 2023
Australia’s Olympic Moment on Greenwashing
The Australian Government has proposed that Australia host the 2026 UN Climate Conference, in “partnership” with Pacific nations. But can Australia be considered a credible host for a COP31 while it continues to subsidise and approve fossil fuel expansion? This was recorded on Wednesday 14th June 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The
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