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Displaying 341 - 360 of 435 articles
Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei is in the spotlight again. jontintinjordan/Flickr

Australia’s biggest ‘China threat’ is not Huawei, but itself

Ken Shao, Murdoch University

In a move that has drawn criticism from Chinese authorities, the Abbott government is upholding a ban on Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from tendering for the National Broadband Network, after…
Going, going: the Abbott government appears to have ditched the centrepiece of the Gillard government’s foreign policy, the Australia in the Asian Century white paper. AAP/Paul Miller

Is this the end of the ‘Asian century’?

Mark Beeson, Murdoch University

In case you missed the news, the “Asian century” is over. Or it is as far as the Abbott government is concerned. In its continuing revamp of the apparatus and output of government, the Coalition has officially…
Partisanship aside, extreme weather events linked to climate change pose an enormous threat to the Western, legal-political system of government. EPA/Steve Pope

The great governmental challenge of climate change

Gary Wickham, Murdoch University and Jo Goodie, Murdoch University

The recently released fifth report of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stresses the connection between climate change and severe weather events around the world, including devastating…
There are a record 168 billionaires in China, according to the most recent Forbes list. Adam Nelson

Communist fat cats: Forbes counts 168 billionaires in China

Mark Beeson, Murdoch University

“To get rich is glorious” – Deng Xiaoping’s famous aphorism has clearly been taken to heart by at least 168 people in China. That’s the number of billionaires identified in Forbes’ annual China Rich List…
Good for a holiday, but other institutions are overtaking APEC as a useful diplomatic forum for Australian trade interests. EPA/Mast Irham

More form than substance at APEC

Mark Beeson, Murdoch University

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum concluded last night as leaders, foreign ministers and trade delegations wrapped up a week in Bali. You’d be forgiven for not noticing. There are two…
Tony Abbott has vowed to strengthen Australia’s ties with China, including a potential free trade agreement with the growing superpower. AAP/Dan Himbrechts

Middle power meets Middle Kingdom: Abbott looks to China

Mark Beeson, Murdoch University

Tony Abbott’s initial forays into foreign relations are exceeding expectations. True, the bar was set pretty low for many critics, but the new team is clearly intent on sending positive signals about the…
Tony Abbott has promised public sector cuts - but research suggests there are more effective ways to improve productivity. AAP

Why take a stick to public service productivity when a carrot works?

Christopher Vas, Murdoch University

One of Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s most steadfast election promises was the axeing of 12,000 public sector jobs. Indeed, his first act after being sworn in was to sack three senior public service “mandarins…
Much has changed from the first Colombo plan, but Australia’s engagement with Asia should start at home. Asia image from www.shutterstock.com

Colombo II: send students to Asia but don’t ignore the Asian students at home

Jan Gothard, Murdoch University

Now it’s in government, the Coalition says one of its top priorities is international education. Along with policies to encourage international students to study here, Australian students, too, will be…
The decline of digging mammals, such as this bilby, is threatening Australia’s ecosystems. AAP Image/National Parks and Wildlife

Losing Australia’s diggers is hurting our ecosystems

Trish Fleming, Murdoch University

Despite once being described as common, mammals have been lost across the Australian landscape over the last 200 years. The impact has been particularly severe on Australia’s digging mammals, including…
The deadly attack on a Nairobi shopping mall demonstrates that a lack of security in Somalia has a direct impact on Kenya. EPA/Kabir Dhanji

Kenya mall attacks: Somalia’s anarchy spreads

Samuel M. Makinda, Murdoch University

The Somali-based Islamic militant group Al-Shabaab’s weekend attack on the upscale Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi - which has left at least 60 people dead - poses a significant security threat not just…
Despite his electoral success earlier this year, WA premier Colin Barnett has suffered a string of economic blows - the latest being a credit rating downgrade and the rejection of his proposed raise in the GST. AAP/Theron Kirkman

GST rebuff and credit downgrade add to Barnett’s annus horribilis

Ian Cook, Murdoch University

2013 hasn’t been a good year for Western Australian premier Colin Barnett. Standard and Poor’s recent downgrade of his government’s credit rating continues a pattern. It is not an aberration. Barnett’s…
The new government faces sorting out a complex mess of stalled talks on various free trade agreements. AAP

Why embracing free trade may be more complicated than it looks

Jeffrey Wilson, Murdoch University

If headlines are to be believed, the new Coalition government is set to “embrace free trade” in its first term in office. In announcing his new Ministry last week, Tony Abbott has made significant changes…
US president Barack Obama has been criticised recently for not taking a hardline enough approach on military action in Syria. EPA/Michael Reynolds

In praise of prevarication: Barack Obama’s Syria strategy

Mark Beeson, Murdoch University

Being the most powerful man in the world isn’t what it used to be. US president Barack Obama is currently being ridiculed for his apparent inability to decide how to handle the conflict in Syria. American…
It’s smart of Abbott to prioritise Australia’s relationship with Indonesia but can he leave his ‘Anglosphere’ past behind? EPA/Adi Weda

‘Anglosphere’ or regional friend? Abbott’s foreign policy future

Mark Beeson, Murdoch University

Many foreign policy observers are apprehensive about the election of Tony Abbott. A key concern is that his government may be liberal in name only and that we may see a return to the sorts of policies…
No matter who wins the federal election on Saturday, they will need to look beyond just the challenges at home in their term in office. AAP/Auspic

Election 2013 Essays: Australia and the world

Mark Beeson, Murdoch University

Election 2013 Essays: As the federal election campaign draws to a close, The Conversation asked eminent thinkers to reflect on the state of the nation and the challenges Australia - and whichever party…
Caring is part of everyday life; it taps into our vulnerabilities and allows us to turn possibilities into material outcomes. Image from shutterstock.com

Election 2013 Issues: How we grow and care for each other

Yvonne Haigh, Murdoch University

Welcome to the The Conversation’s Election 2013 State of the Nation essays. These articles by leading experts in their field provide an in-depth look at the key policy challenges affecting Australia as…
Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott have faced off in a second debate - this time, a ‘people’s forum’ in front of 100 undecided voters. AAP/Lukas Coch

Rudd vs Abbott people’s forum: experts respond

Tom Clark, Victoria University; David Holmes, Monash University; David Maguire, Murdoch University; Denis Muller, The University of Melbourne; Fabrizio Carmignani, Griffith University; Joseph Fernandez, Curtin University; Marcus O'Donnell, University of Wollongong, and Sean Rintel, The University of Queensland

Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott have met in a “town hall” style leaders’ debate at the Broncos Leagues Club in Brisbane. Abbott and Rudd took questions from an audience of 100 undecided voters on issues from…

For whom the new newspaper readership data tolls

David Maguire, Murdoch University

There’s nothing like a vigorous national election campaign to bring out the best in Australia’s mainstream newspapers. Some would say it also brings out the worst, but these remain subjective judgements…
What do the various responses to Tony Abbott’s ‘sex appeal’ comment say about the role of gender in politics? AAP/Alan Porritt

She’s got it: responses to Tony Abbott’s ‘sex appeal’ comments

Ngaire Donaghue, Murdoch University

Since opposition leader Tony Abbott’s self-described “daggy dad” comments about Liberal candidate Fiona Scott’s sex appeal, gender issues have re-emerged in Australian politics. Labor frontbenchers claim…

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