Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have been long lauded as a viable financing alternative for Southeast Asian countries to fill in infrastructure gaps and boost economic growth. The changing geopolitical landscape and development priorities particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, however, have distorted PPP implementation and opened them up to predatory domestic interests—Indonesia being a case in point. 

Great power conflict may be on the horizon unless more desperate attemps are made to reconcile the challenges Washington and Beijing face in perceptions of the other. A comprehensive appraoch to understanding the other, through high level dialogue, is a necessary start. 

Australia is the only Western liberal democracy that does not have a legislated national Human Rights Act. Should Australia implement a Human Rights Act, and what would the implications be?

On the back of their Strengthened Strategic Partnership, Japan and the Philippines have signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA). This indicates the strength and evolution of the security relationship and the approach of both sides to managing regional instability.   

Hungary's Viktor Orbán undertook a rogue “peace mission” in July to “resolve” the Russia-Ukraine conflict. His meetings with Vladimir Putin, China's Xi Jinping, and Donald Trump achieved little except to repudiate the European Union's own position.

China is applying Mahan's geopolitical theory to enhance its maritime dominance, notably through strategic port developments and asserting control over critical maritime chokepoints. It's expanding influence across strategic island chains in the Pacific highlights its efforts to strengthen naval capabilities and economic leverage in the region.

Language in politics is a potent instrument for shaping public opinion and framing political narratives, highlighting its role in influencing perceptions and policy outcomes. From the identity politics in Ukraine to the “English-Only” movements in the US, language manipulation can significantly impact national unity and individual political agendas, underlining the need for critical engagement with how language is used in the political sphere.

For Timor-Leste’s economy, economic diversification is crucial to avoid fallout from a depleting Petroleum Fund. As one of the nation’s closest neighbours, Australia has a unique opportunity and responsibility to help promote and develop Timor’s tourism economy.

As the general elections in India were underway from April to June 2024, the country was also grappling with severe heatwaves, highlighting the critical need for effective climate policies. As the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, India’s climate strategy is at a critical juncture, balancing ambitious international commitments and domestic imperatives.

The Wagner Group has maintained an active and controversial presence in Africa since 2017, where it has contributed to regional instability, countered Western influence, and exacerbated human rights abuses. Despite the death of its figurehead in 2023, the emergence of the Africa Corps indicates that Russia's covert geopolitical strategies in the region will persist.