The Lowy Institute

6 days ago | lowyinstitute.org | Greg Earl

Looking outIt is conventional wisdom among Australian political commentators to observe, and sometimes regret, that foreign policy doesn’t matter in elections in an island country with a once stable two-party system. This is despite some critical moments in modern electoral history when this was clearly not the case. The Vietnam War provided a key campaign issue for a Labor renaissance in 1969 and 1972.

1 week ago | lowyinstitute.org | Daniela Gavshon

As Australia enters a new electoral term with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese back at the helm, and world affairs in a state of turmoil, it is critical to ask whether human rights will get deserved attention in the government’s foreign policy. Not only because it is morally right, but because Australia’s long-term economic and security interests are best served in a region and a world that respects rights.

1 week ago | lowyinstitute.org | Kazimier Lim

At last week’s general elections, Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) once again retained its parliamentary supermajority. In fact, no election seats were gained or lost. One would be forgiven to say this was a predictable outcome for the city-state, especially for the party who has ruled since 1959, but this election was important in two regards. First, Singaporean voters proved they are far more politically engaged and sophisticated than often assumed.

2 weeks ago | lowyinstitute.org | James Laurenceson

Chinese ship visits to Australia don’t always generate alarm and controversy. Last Friday, Hobart hosted the arrival of Chinese ice-breaker Xue Long 2, more than five years after its previous visit. Xue Long 1 visited last March. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said last November that an upcoming visit to China had “the clear purpose to invite Xue Long 1 and 2 vessels to reengage and utilise the Port of Hobart as part of their Antarctic Program”.

2 weeks ago | lowyinstitute.org | Mick Ryan

This article probably won’t excite readers as much as stories about drone warfare, Ukrainian battlefields or Chinese naval task groups circumnavigating Australia. However, civil-military relations are more important than any of these subjects. Why is the theory and practice of civil–military relations crucial to liberal democracies like Australia? Unlike America and Britain, there has been little discussion of civil-military relations in Australia.