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2. Policy overboard: Australia's increasingly costly Fiji drift
- Author:
- Jenny Hayward-Jones
- Publication Date:
- 05-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Lowy Institute for International Policy
- Abstract:
- What is the problem? Australia's tough-love policy towards Fiji has failed to persuade the government of Voreqe Bainimarama to restore democracy to Fiji and may even be helping to entrench his regime. The Fiji government, resistant to external pressure, has instead developed new allegiances and partnerships which undermine Australia's influence. Australia's reputation as a major power in the South Pacific and as a creative middle power more broadly may be diminished by the Fiji government's continued intransigence. Over time the Fiji people's once-strong connections with Australia may dwindle and Australia's relevance to Fiji gradually diminish unless the Australian government takes decisive action now.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy and Democratization
- Political Geography:
- Asia and Australia/Pacific
3. Indonesia and Australia: time for a step change
- Author:
- Fergus Hanson
- Publication Date:
- 03-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Lowy Institute for International Policy
- Abstract:
- The relationship with Indonesia is one of Australia's most important but it is still not on a firm footing. Government-to-government ties have been strengthening but relations are focused around a mostly negative set of security-related issues. Business-to-business links are underdone and mutual public perceptions are poor. Without significant incentives to drive closer ties, one of Australia's most important relationships will continue to stagnate.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, International Trade and Finance, and Bilateral Relations
- Political Geography:
- Asia, Australia/Pacific, and Southeast Asia
4. A digital DFAT: joining the 21st century
- Author:
- Fergus Hanson
- Publication Date:
- 11-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Lowy Institute for International Policy
- Abstract:
- WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) needs to keep pace with technological advancements that could increase efficiency, improve internal and external communication, and facilitate information exchange and gathering. Without e-diplomacy DFAT will be cut off from important audiences and find it increasingly hard to communicate its messages and coordinate Australian foreign policy across government.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, and Science and Technology
- Political Geography:
- Australia/Pacific
5. Beyond good governance
- Author:
- Jenny Hayward-Jones
- Publication Date:
- 09-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Lowy Institute for International Policy
- Abstract:
- The Pacific Islands region is not on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, the internationally agreed targets for improving human development by 2015. The Melanesian countries, which have the largest population, face the most significant challenges in attempting to meet the goals. In the Port Moresby Declaration of 6 March 2008, the Australian government promised to work jointly with Pacific Island countries to meet the goals in the context of new Pacific Partnerships for Development. While the Millennium Development Goals may not be the fairest measurement of the success of inputs from the Australian aid program, they provide a valuable universal mechanism of measuring development outcomes.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Development, and Government
- Political Geography:
- Australia/Pacific
6. Engaging Pakistan
- Author:
- Claude Rakisits
- Publication Date:
- 12-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Lowy Institute for International Policy
- Abstract:
- The late November terror attacks in Mumbai have once again thrown the spotlight onto Pakistan. The country had already been struggling with growing international pressure over the safe haven and support that the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan and international terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda were obtaining in Pakistan's troubled Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and North West Frontier Province. Claims that the Mumbai attacks were carried out by Pakistani nationals, perhaps linked to the terrorist group Lashkar–e-Taiba (LeT), will place even more pressure on Islamabad.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Foreign Policy, Political Violence, Diplomacy, and Terrorism
- Political Geography:
- Asia and Australia/Pacific
7. Shared Challenges and Solutions: Australia's Unique Contribution to the Future of African Development
- Author:
- Glenn Denning and Joel Negin
- Publication Date:
- 12-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Lowy Institute for International Policy
- Abstract:
- The new Australian government has made a significant commitment to increasing its overseas development assistance (ODA) from 0.3% of gross national income (GNI) in the 2007-08 budget to 0.5% of GNI by 2015/16. This represents a return to the levels last seen in the 1970s that were eroded over the 1990s and early 2000s (Figure 1). Depending on the projected economic growth rate, some estimates foresee a tripling of ODA from the mid-2000s to 2015/16.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Development, and International Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Australia/Pacific
8. Capital punishment and Australian foreign policy
- Author:
- Michael Fullilove
- Publication Date:
- 08-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Lowy Institute for International Policy
- Abstract:
- Australia is an abolitionist country. Both the Australian Government and the Opposition are opposed to capital punishment. Australia engages in modest advocacy against the death penalty but most of Canberra's efforts are directed toward cases involving Australian citizens. These are likely continue to occur: our closest Asian neighbours retain the death penalty, and Australian nationals will probably continue to commit ciminal acts carrying this penalty. For example, the looming execution of Van Tuong Nguyen last year led to calls from Australian commentators for trade and business sanctions against Singapore, and charges of hypocrisy being levelled against Australia in the regional press.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Government, and Regional Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Asia and Australia/Pacific
9. Australians speak 2005: public opinion and foreign policy
- Author:
- Ivan Cook
- Publication Date:
- 03-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Lowy Institute for International Policy
- Abstract:
- Australians feel positive and self-confident about Australia's place in the world, but we also have a realistic sense of our limitations and vulnerabilities. A vast majority believe Australia is 'a good international citizen' (82%), 'important in Asia' (82%), and 'well-placed to succeed in a competitive world' (79%), while few agree with the notion that we are 'unimportant in global politics' (37%). But three quarters of respondents also think we are 'vulnerable to external threats' (76%), and while the population is evenly split on whether we are 'independent minded', 65% think we are 'a follower not a leader'.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, and Defense Policy
- Political Geography:
- Asia, Australia, and Australia/Pacific
10. Diaspora: the World Wide Web of Australians
- Author:
- Michael Fullilove and Chloë Flutter
- Publication Date:
- 11-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Lowy Institute for International Policy
- Abstract:
- On any given day, there are approximately one million Australians outside Australia, perhaps three-quarters of whom live offshore on a permanent or long term basis. This latter group, the 'Australian diaspora', is large and, in the main, prosperous, well educated, well connected, and well disposed to this country. It is also very mobile: rather than turning their backs on Australia once and for all, expatriates these days are more likely to move back and forward between Australia and other countries as opportunities present.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Demographics, and Economics
- Political Geography:
- Australia and Australia/Pacific