This Month
- Opinion
- Culture wars
The MSO brought this row on itself
Young self-absorbed artists and old complacent arts organisations like the MSO don’t understand that great art is powerful because it transcends politics.
- John Roskam
August
Pacific banking diplomacy game will evolve beyond Nauru
The government should look to provide support to Vanuatu – another “high risk” nation – as it tries to convince CBA to bank in Nauru and ward off Chinese influence.
- Lucas Baird
- Exclusive
- Mergers & acquisitions
CBA tapped to bank Nauru and block Beijing in Pacific
When Bendigo & Adelaide Bank announced it would stop servicing the island to “reduce complexity”, the federal government took notice and turned to CBA.
- Lucas Baird
July
Australia doubles down on its subsea cable diplomacy in South Pacific
The rollout of undersea cables has become a major focus of the strategic competition between Western nations and China to gain influence in the Pacific.
- Updated
- Staff
May
- Updated
- Street Talk
Nauru Airlines flies in for a look at collapsed Air Vanuatu
The national carrier of Vanuatu collapsed into liquidation on Friday. Fiji Airways has already expressed interest in acquiring whatever is left of the airline.
- Updated
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
February
This country will do anything to make a buck
In its quest for cash, the tiny island nation of Nauru has tried it all. Its latest scheme may be its riskiest bet yet.
- Christina Lu
Ocean-floor minerals are being touted as the next frontier
A new kind of 21st-century mining company is emerging: the for-profit corporation as self-declared climate saviour.
- Christopher Pollon
January
US urges Pacific to keep Chinese tech out of undersea cables
America’s cybersecurity envoy said Pacific countries could be cut off from cables if they use “untrusted” suppliers, as Nauru offered assurances to Canberra over its China flip.
- Andrew Tillett and Mark Mulligan
- Analysis
- China relations
China always a step ahead in Pacific influence tussle
While Australia and the United States are stepping up efforts to counter China’s rising influence in the Pacific, Beijing always seems to be one step ahead.
- Michael Smith
China, Papua New Guinea in talks on policing, security cooperation
Beijing approached PNG in September with an offer to assist its police force with training, equipment and surveillance technology, says the country’s foreign minister.
- Kirsty Needham
Asylum centre funding hole behind Beijing ‘ambush’ of Taiwan on Nauru
Taiwanese official claims a $125m funding shortfall left by the downgrading of Australia’s refugee camp on Nauru paved way for Pacific nation’s shift to China.
- Updated
- Andrew Tillett and Michael Smith
Nauru cuts diplomatic ties with Taiwan, switches allegiance to China
Experts say the move reflects badly on the Albanese government’s efforts to deal with rising Chinese influence in the Pacific region.
- Michael Smith
July 2023
- Opinion
- Property market
Why high rents are driving hard politics
The threat of an early election was always a silly distraction, but the government faces the same dilemma and delays in dealing with housing and surging rents.
- Jennifer Hewett
Dutton pressed to explain why bribery suspect was given detention deal
Anthony Albanese says Peter Dutton has to address “serious allegations” after police briefed him about a bribery investigation into a detention centre provider.
- Andrew Tillett
April 2023
- Opinion
- Voice to parliament
There is no political profit for Dutton in opposing the Voice
The Liberal leader’s aim seems to be to keep his parliamentary party together – even at the risk of the wider party’s appeal.
- Craig Emerson
May 2022
Hacktivists steal 300k police emails to protest offshore detention
Hacktivists claim to have stolen and published more than 285,000 emails from the Nauru Police Force as a protest to Australia’s offshore detention policy.
- Max Mason
April 2022
- Opinion
- Pacific diplomacy
Opening labour market to the Pacific would transform relations
Australian jobs for Pacific Islanders would do more to match China’s economic appeal in the region than almost any amount of aid.
- Stephen Howes
December 2021
Japan and Australia agree to strengthen security ties
Japan and Australia have agreed to strengthen security ties and collaborate on infrastructure projects in the Indo-Pacific.
- Updated
- Michael Smith
October 2021
- Opinion
- Australia's China challenge
Telstra joins Team Australia on China
Telstra would have no interest in Digicel without the federal government’s prodding and the generous taxpayer funding that allows it to proceed.
- Jennifer Hewett
July 2021
Telstra caught in China row
Shareholders are alarmed the telco could be used as a Morrison government tool to outbid the Asian nation buying the Digicel Pacific phone network.
- Lucas Baird, John Kehoe and Andrew Tillett