One thing is clear: the ethical costs of the new system will depend significantly on its precise operation, which at this point remains uncertain.

The huge numbers of international students are unprecedented in the history of Australian tertiary education. We are educating swathes of the Chinese middle class at a time of geopolitical tension.

As Indonesia tightens its grip on West Papua, Pacific nations are pushing for a negotiated solution.

The prime minister’s style has proved effective so far, but does it contain the seeds of its own failure?

Uncertain goals and doubts about effectiveness have prompted a major reappraisal.