China's growing engagement in the Pacific Islands has fueled talk of great-power competition in the region. But viewing China's activities in the region in geo-strategic terms is inappropriate and potentially counter-productive. Australia and the United States should focus on cooperating with China in aid and investment activities that support Pacific Island development priorities rather than...

This survey of Indian public attitudes towards Australia presents some surprising results. It reveals broadly positive views towards Australia, but lingering concerns about student safety. Key issues covered in the poll include: Indian perceptions of Australian governance and society, education in Australia, the Indian media, uranium sales to India, Indian Ocean security, and cricket. The...

To be the premier forum for international economic cooperation, the G20 will need to strengthen such core features as clarity of objectives, communication, transparency and accountability. This paper outlines what Australia can do in all these areas when it chairs the G20 in 2014. Key findings: The Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth should...

Australians are travelling more than ever. In 2012, they took more than eight million trips overseas, more than double the number a decade ago. Public expectations of the assistance government can provide when travellers encounter trouble are rapidly rising, fuelled by intense media and political attention given to high-profile cases. These rising demands on Australia’s...

In this submission to the Australian Parliament's review of the Defence Annual Report, Lowy Military Fellow James Brown argues for greater parliamentary oversight of defence by outlining just how little reporting defence makes to the parliament and public. Key findings: Defence policy is extraordinarily complex, vitally important, and mistakes have far-reaching consequences. In 2011-12 defence...