Category Archives: Australian politics
Beyond COVID-19: Australia, the ‘dangerous decade’ and the panic to come
International Relations will continue beyond the COVID-19 crisis and so too, the rise of China. This analysis covers offers a perspective of the dire position Australia is in, as the decade 2020 – 2030 rolls on. Continue reading
Chinese Ships in Sydney Harbour: The PLAN and its plan
Photo source and reference: WikipediaType 054A frigate (Jiangkai II class) Introduction There has been much comment in recent days about the arrival of three Chinese warships entering and berthing at Sydney Harbour’s Garden Island. This has included Prime Minister Scott … Continue reading
Australia as a beggar nation: How the Country Liberal Party made the Port of Darwin a geo-strategic requisite for China
photo credit: prospectmagazine.co.u Introduction The analysis of Australia’s leasing of the Port of Darwin (PofD) to a Chinese company (Landbridge Industry Australia) in 2017—ABC News ‘Why did the Northern Territory lease the Darwin Port to China, and at what risk?’[1]—and … Continue reading
Hell hath no fury: The makings of a Turnbull return
Normally I restrict my opinions to international relations issues with a particular emphasis on war and conflict however, the arrival of Malcolm Turnbull on the ABC’s Q&A programme made me want to offer a possibility of Malcolm being the ‘comeback … Continue reading
Something is wrong here: Six months (or thereabouts) in Taiwan and the whole damn thing
There’s not much more oppressive ‘out there’ than a tropical summer and I have to tell you that Taiwan in ‘right up there,’ when it comes to summer: baking -tropical, sticky and oppressive heat. When I walk down the … Continue reading
Taiwan 2018: A few weeks in …
Taiwan: to mid-February 2018 The Taiwan-China issue remains vibrant and ongoing. There is near-daily comment in the newspapers about the ongoing situation: China asserting pressures and Taiwan attempting to retain its independence (whilst not actually declaring independence). The situation is … Continue reading
Taiwan: a week in …
Since arriving in Taiwan ROC one week ago there has been … four new flight-paths across the Taiwan Strait unilaterally decided upon by China; President Tsai should plan to avoid conflict with China, and has been asked on TV … Continue reading
A volatile combination: Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea
Map credit: lahistoriconmaps.com Having just read Pacific Power. Australia’s Strategy in the Pacific Islands, (Author: Joanne Wallis) this book is an excellent read, and anyone interested in International Relations, especially the Asia-Pacific (A-P), should indulge in this succinct and articulate analysis. … Continue reading
What’s really going on?: The reasons the US and North Korea won’t go to war over the Korean Peninsula
Image credit: CBS.news.org Introduction At the end of June 1950, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)— North Korea—through the actions of the North Korean People’s Army embarked on an invasion of South Korea by advancing toward Seoul. This … Continue reading
Out of the frying pan: Should the Australian Army be used against terrorists on Australian soil?
Introduction: Terrorism as a ‘dynamic’ Recently in The Australian, an article entitled ‘We’d be fools not to use the ‘best in the business’’[1] was written suggesting that the Australian Army—specifically TAG East, the special forces team based in Sydney—should … Continue reading
