Politics

Prime Minister Scott Morrison addresses the media at Parliament House on April 10: The threat the teal independents pose to the government's reelection chances is real.
Opinion

Rise of teal independents upsets Australian political orthodoxy

New breed of candidates have galvanized middle-class voters

9 May 2022
Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese speaks during the party's election campaign launch in Perth on May 1 ahead of the federal election on May 21.
International relations

Australian opposition blames PM Morrison for Solomons 'failure'

Containing Chinese influence in Pacific becomes key issue in upcoming election

4 May 2022
U.S. President Joe Biden speaking in September 2021 about a national security initiative, joined virtually by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
2 May 2022
China and India were the main drivers for the growth in Asia's defense spending, SIPRI said. (Source photo by Reuters and Getty Images)
Indo-Pacific

'Geopolitical powder keg' Asia jacks up global military spending

SIPRI report shows Japan and Singapore raised defense budgets over 7% in 2021

25 April 2022
Ministers attend a joint videoconference about a European data infrastructure project called Gaia-X in Paris in June 2020: The EU wants European data to be stored on European servers.
Opinion

Ukraine war accelerates new era of vertical globalization

Corporations can no longer put profits over politics

25 April 2022
New Zealand Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O'Connor. (Photo by Tetsuya Kitayama) 
Interview

N.Z. calls for potential CPTPP members to meet 'high standards'

Membership negotiations with U.K. will be held cautiously, says Minister O'Connor

22 April 2022
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, left, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attend a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Oct. 9, 2019. (File photo by Reuters) 
International relations

Taiwan joins chorus against China's pact with Solomon Islands

Taipei urges Pacific nation not to be 'China's military bargaining chip'

22 April 2022
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed in Tokyo to start negotiations to share information and intelligence. 
International relations

Japan, New Zealand in talks to share information and intelligence

PM Ardern stresses importance of bilateral ties in move toward renewable energy

21 April 2022
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing in 2019. Diplomatic ties between the countries have grown closer under Sogavare.
Indo-Pacific

China-Solomon Islands security pact raises red flags in Washington

Deal sparks speculation of Beijing's base-building ambitions

21 April 2022
A display case shows photos outside Chinese Embassy in Honiara, Solomon Islands, on April 2: China is here to stay in the Pacific.
Opinion

Solomon Islands pact cements China's Pacific power status

Recent controversy is just the first step in a long-running struggle

19 April 2022
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appears at Wellington International Airport on April 13, after the country's borders reopened to Australian tourists at 11:59 pm on April 12. 
International relations

New Zealand PM eyes economy reboot with Japan, Singapore visits

As approval ratings dip, Ardern seeks political boost with tourism, trade

18 April 2022
Narendra Modi, right, and Scott Morrison, upper left, hold a virtual signing ceremony on April 2: India is slowly emerging from its protectionist cocoon. (Handout photo from India's Press Information Bureau)
Opinion

India and Australia's winning deal on trade will boost the Quad

Canberra and New Delhi finally move beyond cricket, curry and the Commonwealth

18 April 2022
Scott Morrison addresses the media in Canberra on April 10: The coalition ad used evocative cinematography.
Opinion

Australia's Scott Morrison sharpens his pitch for the 'bloke vote'

Conservative coalition is counting on conservative men to win reelection

18 April 2022
Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to reporters in Sydney on Feb. 24.
Australia election

Australian PM Morrison calls general election on May 21

Trailing in polls, ruling coalition is attacking Labor for being 'pro-China'

10 April 2022
A container ship off Mumbai. The India-Australia deal is expected to almost double bilateral annual trade in the next five years.
Indo-Pacific

India-Australia trade pact pushes back against 'panda in the room'

Long-stalled deal came together as Quad partners aim to cut dependence on China

10 April 2022
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Ukraine war

NATO, Asia-Pacific partners agree to bolster cooperation

Cyber defense, new technologies and countering disinformation will become focus

8 April 2022
The U.S., U.K. and Australia will cooperate on the development of hypersonic weapons and electronic warfare capabilities. 
6 April 2022
Scott Morrison at Parliament House on Mar. 29: things may not go according to plan.
Opinion

Do not count Australia's ruling coalition out just yet

A change of government is likely, but not definite

4 April 2022
Solomon Islands citizens tour a landing craft from a New Zealand ship that dropped off personnel and supplies in 2013. The islands' government is drawing closer to China. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy)
International relations

No China base: Solomon Islands' denial does little to quell fears

Analyst says Sogavare risks boxing himself in despite vow not to choose sides

29 March 2022
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, whose government will unveil a new budget on March 29, is seeking to engineer a come-from-behind election victory.
Economy

Australia PM faces budget test as inflation flares before election

Morrison set to court vulnerable voters amid calls to spend responsibly

28 March 2022
A poster in support of Russia, stuck by a right-wing group, is seen in New Delhi in early March. India is the only Quad member that has not condemned Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
International relations

India says Australia 'understands' Ukraine stance as war tests Quad

Modi, loath to condemn Russia, and Morrison agree to keep Indo-Pacific in focus

21 March 2022
Clockwise from top right: Japanese trade minister Koichi Hagiuda meets virtually with Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal and Australian trade minister Dan Tehan on March 15. (Photo by Satsuki Kaneko)
Supply Chain

Japan, Australia and India target Indo-Pacific supply-chain code

Agreed principles will establish data-sharing and transparency standards

16 March 2022
Scott Morrison, pictured in Sydney on Feb. 24: the reckoning will likely come at the ballot box soon,
Opinion

Australia's not-so-clean image a problem of Scott Morrison's making

Decision not to pursue Crown Resorts directors over money laundering surprised many

10 March 2022
A significant proportion of Australians of Chinese descent have reported being subjected to racism since the pandemic began and relations with Beijing deteriorated.
International relations

Australia's tough-on-China election stirs fears of racism, tensions

Critics question costs as Morrison hammers Beijing for alleged meddling, Ukraine

8 March 2022
A U.S. nuclear submarine: Australia is due to acquire such subs under the AUKUS alliance, and it is set to build a base for them.
International relations

Australia to build $7.4bn nuclear submarine base

Morrison warns 'assault' by autocracies poses gravest security risk in 80 years

7 March 2022