Digital Lens

Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

Solomon Islands – 2024 General Elections

The Solomon Islands is an archipelago of more than 100 islands with 9 main island groups located in the south-west Pacific. The capital Honiara is based on the largest island, Guadalcanal. The population is estimated at over 700,000; predominantly Melanesian with small Polynesian, Micronesian, Chinese and European communities. Many Solomon Islanders make a living from farming and fishing. Whilst English is the official language, Solomons’ Pijin is most commonly spoken. As evidenced by the 2019 Census, the country is mainly Christian, with the Church of Melanesia having the most followers (about 32% of the population, up by 40% since 2009), followed by the Catholic Church (about 20% of the population, up by 42% since 2009).

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Australia’s National Defence Strategy

The Australian government recently released their much-anticipated inaugural biannual National Defence Strategy (NDS) and experts across the country are currently going through the details to evaluate the good and the bad.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

The 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy

Global developments have highlighted that cyber-attacks are accelerating at an ever-increasing pace and that targeting critical infrastructure has become a major part of conflict operations worldwide. In Russia’s war on Ukraine, for example, malicious cyber actors have repeatedly targeted critical communications, energy, health, and transport infrastructure to disrupt systems and destroy supply chains. This included attacks on Ukraine-allied partners like the EU and the US.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

Pacific Leaders United in Diversity

The 52nd Pacific Islands Forum 2023 (PIFLM52) was themed “Our Voices, Our Choices, Our Pacific Way: Promote, Partner, Prosper” and comprised two sessions: the Plenary, held on 8 November at the National Auditorium - Te A’re Karioi Nui in Rarotonga, and the Forum Leaders’ Retreat, held on board the Vaka Teariki Moana in Aitutaki on 9 November.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Ensuring a stable and productive relationship?

‘Before the election, we said to the Australian people we would work to stabilise the relationship with China without compromising our sovereign interests. And that's what we've done.’ – Foreign Minister Penny Wong

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Australia’s ‘No’ Vote Is More Nuanced Than It Appears

It has been two weeks since Australia voted on the Voice to Parliament in what has been described by some as the ‘most important vote since federation’. The result was devastating for the yes campaign, with 60 per cent of voters delivering a resounding no to the proposal. At first glance, this seems to support the no campaign’s claims that Australia and its indigenous peoples did not want constitutional change, but the result is more nuanced than it appears. So, what do the numbers say?

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

New Zealand “Back on Track”?

New Zealand has held general elections on 14 October. According to the preliminary election result, the centre-right party has achieved 39% of all “ordinary” votes, (50 seats - 17 more than 2020), followed by the Labour Party with 27% (34 seats - 31 less than 2020), the Green Party with 11% (14 seats - 4 more than 2020), the ACT Party with 9% (11 seats - 1 seat more than 2020), the NZ First Party with 6.5% (8 seats - 8 more than 2020 as the party back then did not meet the 5% threshold) and the Maori Party with 2.6% (4 seats - 2 more than in the last election). The voter turnout is estimated at about 78% (compared to about 82% in 2020). Voters abroad could cast their vote since 27 September; voters in the country could cast their vote since 2 October - about 1.15 million voters made use of this option (compared to about 1.98 million in 2020 and about 1.24 million in 2017). Notably, the so called “special votes” (including overseas votes) are estimated at 567,000 (20.2% of all votes) (compared to 504,621 in the last election), with the overseas votes estimated around 80,000.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Foreign Interference Through Social Media

In November 2022, the Australian Senate established the Select Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media to examine the risk of foreign actors using social media platforms to interfere with democratic processes in Australia. The committee is made up of five full members, including representatives of the Liberal, Labor and Greens parties, and a number of participating (non-voting) members. It is chaired by Liberal Senator James Paterson, a known national security hawk and China critic, with Labor Senator Jess Walsh as Deputy Chair. In March this year, the committee received a briefing from government agencies, in April and July it held a series of public hearings. This week, the committee handed down its final report.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

‘Advancing Australia’s Interests with Germany and NATO’…

...Was the title of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s pre-travel media release for his recent Europe visit. It listed two main agenda items: meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to ‘discuss deepening cooperation between Australia and Germany in a range of areas including trade and investment, the clean energy transition, and defence’ and advocating for this ‘region’s strategic priorities and [advancing] Australia’s security, economic and trade agenda’ at the NATO Leaders’ Summit. In addition, Albanese used the occasion to push for greater efforts to overcome the current obstacles to the successful conclusion of an EU-Australia FTA.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

NEW ZEALAND – National Party Conference

The National Party of New Zealand held its 87th Annual Conference from 23 to 25 June in Wellington. Party Leader Christopher Luxon and Deputy Party Leader Nicola Willis gave their keynote speeches in front of several hundred participants, pledging to bring New Zealand ‘back on track’ if elected at the general elections scheduled to take place on 14 October, that is, in less than 100 days from now on. They promised to do so primarily by fixing the economy, restoring law and order, delivering better health and education, and by building infrastructure.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Pivots and Shake-Ups – The Australian Defence Strategic Review

On Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister Richard Marles delivered the Defence Strategic Review (DSR) Announcement, releasing the public parts of the DSR, the government’s DSR response and the National Defence Statement 2023.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Understanding the AUKUS Submarine Deal

In a joint statement this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak officially announced the pathway to achieving the first major initiative promised under the 2021 AUKUS deal, Australia acquiring conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs).

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Defining Australia’s Security Landscape – The Director-General’s Annual Threat Assessment 2023

On 21 February, Head of Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Mike Burgess delivered the Director-General's Annual Threat Assessment in Canberra. The address is driven by what Burgess calls ‘the triple T’s of Threat, Trust and Team’, aimed at improving awareness, enhancing trust through transparency and recruiting new members.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Australia’s Cyber Security Overhaul

‘The increasingly interconnected nature of critical infrastructure exposes vulnerabilities that could result in significant consequences to our security, economy and sovereignty. We need to ensure our critical infrastructure security arrangements keep pace with the evolving threat environment and continue to deliver the essential services we all rely on.’

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

‘Stability and Renewal’? – Prime Minister Changeover in New Zealand

‘I believe that leading a country is the most privileged job anyone could ever have, but also one of the more challenging. You cannot, and should not do it unless you have a full tank, plus, a bit in reserve for those unexpected challenges.’ – Jacinda Ardern

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Australia and the Solomon Islands – Walking the Tightrope

Australia’s foreign policy focus post federal election has increasingly been on repairing and enhancing its relations to partners in the Indo-Pacific region, especially in view of recent developments in the aftermath of the AUKUS announcement and its ongoing complicated relationship with China.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – 2022 General Elections

Papua New Guinea has held general elections from 4 to 22 July. More than 6 million voters in the country were called upon to select 118 members of parliament from more than 2300 candidates for a term of 5 years. As per The Guardian’s Explainer, Papua New Guinea has a multi-party system with numerous political parties, in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone. Parties must work with each other to form coalition governments.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Germany’s continued engagement in the Indo-Pacific – The Luftwaffe goes Pitch Black in the Northern Territory

With recent developments in the international politics and security theatre, i.e. the war in Ukraine and events around Taiwan, many a focus has turned once again to the issue of international and national security concerns. Energy security and defence capabilities have held centre stage in the media as well as in political discussions. With China, after heavy sabre rattling in the Taiwan Strait, announcing it would join military exercises in Russia, the question of defence cooperation and multi-national interoperability have been added to the mix.

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Digital Snapshot

Melting the Ice – Two steps forward and one step back as Australia and China attempt to reset relations

After more than two years of frozen diplomatic relations, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong recently held a face-to-face meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Bali. Ms Wong said they both spoke frankly, listened carefully to each other's priorities and concerns, but noted that it would take time, effort, work and nuance to stabilise the bilateral relationship. It comes after similar meetings between Australian Ambassador Graham Fletcher and Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng, and also between Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and China’s minister of national defence Wei Fenghe.

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Digital Snapshot

by Justin Burke

New Surveys Paint Picture of Contemporary Australia

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recently released the first results of its five-yearly survey of residents, which reveals a nation more diverse, more urban and less religious than ever before. These insights will serve as inputs to policy and also yardsticks for community expectations about representation in public life. It comes as one of Australia’s leading think tanks - the Lowy Institute - released its latest poll of Australian attitudes on foreign affairs.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM – Regional Solidarity Restored, For Now

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) may recently have overcome the greatest crisis since its inception. n 2021, in response to the election of Henry Puna from the Cook Islands as Secretary General (SG) of PIF, the five Micronesian member states announced their withdrawal from the regional forum. They insisted that under a gentlemen’s agreement, the Secretary General should have been chosen from the Micronesian subregion, and demanded that SG Puna step aside for their candidate to take his place (see Digital Snapshot #3/21). One by one, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), the Republic of Nauru and the Republic of Kiribati submitted their formal notices of exit to the PIF Secretariat. Back then, the media labelled their decision “Micronexit”, and experts feared the worst for regional cooperation and security. Subsequent apologies by Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama and others could not change the Micronesian minds.

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Digital Snapshot

by Justin Burke

Energy Crisis: Australia on the Brink of Blackouts

Australia’s energy regulator has suspended the wholesale electricity market in the Eastern states to avert parabolic price rises and imminent blackouts. How did it come to this for a nation so rich in hydrocarbons and renewable sources of energy? What will the newly elected federal government do about it?

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Digital Snapshot

by Justin Burke

Geopolitical storms brewing in the Pacific Islands

For a region generally omitted from strategic discussions – its name literally means “peaceful in character or intent” – the Pacific Islands have emerged as a key theatre for geopolitical competition in recent weeks, with the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi touring the islands in pursuit of a “Common Development Vision” trade and security deal, and new Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong similarly attempting to reset Australian influence within the “Pacific Family”.

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Digital Snapshot

by Justin Burke

Zeitenwende and the Indo-Pacific

In Australia and across the English-speaking world there is an enduring fascination with German words which capture a unique or complex phenomenon. From zeitgeist to schadenfreude, many have entered everyday discourse.

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Digital Snapshot

by Justin Burke

Australia in the run up to the election

On Saturday 21st May, Australians aged 18 years and older will visit schools, church halls and community centres across the nation to vote in the federal parliamentary election to determine who forms government in Canberra for the next three years, and who will be Prime Minister: the incumbent Scott Morrison, or the challenger Anthony Albanese.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

SOLOMON ISLANDS – Australia’s Red Line in the Pacific

When Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced that they would develop hypersonic weapons via the recently created AUKUS security alliance, China accused these countries of attempting to build an Asia-Pacific version of NATO. Now that China has signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands, it is for the AUKUS countries to consider its implications for their security. This holds particularly true for Australia, located in close proximity to the Solomon Islands. Given that Australia is scheduled to hold federal elections on 21 May this year, it is unsurprising that the security agreement has become a major election campaign issue. KAS Australia would like to take the opportunity to outline some of the major parties’ responses.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

The Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) – What does it entail and how was it received?

When things get difficult, focus on the basics. In political terms this usually means defence and economy. With war starting up in Ukraine, two years of the coronavirus pandemic dragging on the economy, and continuing rocky relations with China, the Australian government has made great efforts to boost both its defence spending as well as its economic relations.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

SOLOMON ISLANDS – Security made in China?

Digital Snapshot #06/22 1 April 2022 A potpourri of current affairs topics from Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific brought to you by KAS Australia and the Pacific.…

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Geopolitical Considerations and Disaster Relief – The Future of the ADF

With recent government announcements of plans to expand the Defence Forces and the deployment of the military to assist with flood recovery in Queensland and New South Wales, the future role of the Defence Force in general has become a major topic of discussion in Australia.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

NEW ZEALAND – National Party Ahead in Latest Polls

According to the latest 1 News Kantar public poll conducted between 5 and 8 March amongst 1000 eligible voters, the National Party has overtaken the governing Labour Party for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Condemnation, Sanctions, Lethal and Non-Lethal Aid and Criticisms – Australian Reactions to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

‘I’ll call it what it is – the Russian government launched a brutal invasion, unprovoked, on Ukraine, and should be condemned for doing so – and Australia does.’, said Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a statement on the Russia-Ukraine war.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Global Order, Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity – Why what happens in Ukraine matters to Australia

Although it may appear far away from an Australian perspective, recent events surrounding the increased tensions at the Ukrainian-Russian border have not gone unnoticed Down Under. On the contrary, Australian officials are closely watching the situation and have clearly stated that Australia would not shy away from imposing further sanctions on Russia should the situation escalate and lead to an invasion of Ukraine.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

AUSTRALIA – A Constitutional Monarchy With Republican Potential

Queen Elizabeth II recently celebrated the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne. The platinum jubilee coincides with the release of the Australian Republican Movement’s proposal for the country to become a republic. The Australian Choice Model describes what constitutional amendments are required for Australians to be able to elect their head of state. This Digital Snapshot takes a closer look at the republican debate in Australia, including the arguments in favour of retaining the status quo.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Australian-Korean Relations – The Significance of South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s Visit to Australia

This week marked the 60th anniversary of Australian-South Korean relations, the perfect occasion for a state visit by South Korean President Moon Jae-in to Australia. It is the first such visit by a South Korean leader in a decade, the last visit having taken place in 2009, and the first visit by a foreign leader since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. But these are not the only indicators marking the visit as significant.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Australia’s Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout – Comirnaty (Pfizer) Approval for 5 to 11-year-old Children

On 5 December, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) provisionally approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds. This places Australia among the first countries to approve the vaccination of children. Other states with children vaccination programs include the USA, which rolled out their program in November, Canada, which is about to start its roll-out, and Israel, Oman and Saudi Arabia, which have all approved the vaccination of children. The European Medicines Agency has also provided a recommendation to vaccinate 5 to 11-year-olds, but member states have their own policies and are, therefore, progressing at different rates.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

NEW ZEALAND – National Party Elects New Leader

The National Party of New Zealand has elected a new leader. Christopher Luxon (national.org.nz), the former CEO of Air New Zealand, is the Party’s 5th leader in the last 5 years. His predecessors include Bill English (2016 to 2018), Simon Bridges (2018 to 2020), Todd Muller (2020) and Judith Collins (2020 to 2021). Nicola Willis (national.org.nz) was chosen as deputy leader.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

TONGA – General Elections

The Kingdom of Tonga held general elections on 18 November 2021. Tonga - a constitutional monarchy - has a unicameral Parliament (Legislative Assembly) (Fale Alea) with 26 seats. 17 seats are reserved for democratically elected representatives; 9 seats are chosen by the noble families amongst themselves. This year, more than 60,000 registered voters were called upon to elect their representatives from 72 candidates, including 12 women. Voters must be aged 21 or over and be in Tonga to be eligible to vote.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Australian federal elections 2022 – The Liberal government and Labor’s pre-election campaigns

In the past, the most common types of election in Australia have either been a simultaneous half-Senate and House of Representatives election or a double dissolution election. With regards to the next elections, the latter can be ruled out, as there are no possible triggers. The latest possible date for a simultaneous half-Senate and House of Representatives election is 21 May 2022. Which date the Prime Minister chooses depends on how politics unfold, i.e. he will most likely hold an election when he thinks his government has the best chance of winning.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

FIJI – New Head of State (President)

The current Head of State’s, His Excellency Major-General (Ret’d) Jioji Konusi Konrote, term comes to an end this month after he served the maximum of 2 consecutive terms provided for under the 2013 Constitution of the Republic of Fiji - Laws of Fiji. President Konrote was the first non-iTaukei president to be elected by Parliament. Earlier presidents were elected by the Great Council of Chiefs, a constitutional body abolished (turned into an aristocratic body with no powers) in 2012 by former military dictator turned prime minister Frank Bainimarama. The election of Ratu Wiliame Katonivere is said to show the respect that people still have for the chiefly system.

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Digital Snapshot

by Sophia Brook

Geoconomics and Trade – Australia, China and the WTO

Over the last month, three major topics have dominated Australian political discussions: the AUKUS agreement, climate policy (or the lack thereof) and the nation’s strategy out of Covid-19 restrictions. Preceded by the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan and the rapid escalation of the Covid-19 situation in two of Australia’s biggest states, these issues momentarily distracted the public eye from another, previously major Australian concern: China and its increasingly coercive trade tactics. This, however, changed rapidly last week, when Australian representative to the World Trade Organisation, George Mina, in an unusually forceful statement, accused China of using politically motivated, disruptive measures in trade relations.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

NEW ZEALAND – New Governor General

Following the end of Dame Patsy Reddy’s term last month, Dame lcyion Cynthia (Cindy) Kiro was sworn in as the New Zealand’s 22nd Governor General on 21 October. Dame Cindy is the 4th woman, the 3rd Māori after Sir Paul Reeves and Sir Jerry Mateparae and the 1st female (wāhine) Māori to hold this office. What else do we know about her?

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

PACIFIC – Reception of AUKUS

A lot has been said and written recently about the new trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, however, we have heard much less about what the Pact actually means for the Pacific region. So, let’s start with some context before taking a closer look at what the media have reported in regards to how it has been received by the Pacific Island states.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

VANUATU – Vacancies in Parliament?

In the beginning of June, the (now former) Speaker of Parliament declared vacant 19 seats of 52 members of parliament, including those of Prime Minister Bob Loughman and Deputy Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau, on the ground that they were absent from three consecutive sittings without his permission. The Supreme Court initially stayed the Speaker’s decision, so that parliament could continue sitting the next day, and issued consent orders under which the Speaker had to resign, which he did, saying that...

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

Updates from the Antipodes

Following the latest National Cabinet (2 July), Prime Minister Scott Morrison may have announced the country’s pathway out of the pandemic. In his press conference, he said the National Cabinet had agreed to a four-phase plan, including the setting of vaccination targets. The details of those targets are yet to be determined, as are the measures to achieve the them.

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Digital Snapshot

by Katja Theodorakis

“That’s the Nature of Politics”? Australia’s Revolving Door Politics Offer a Snapshot of the Political Mood

It’s been an interesting, if not tumultuous 10 days in Australian politics: Australia has, since last week a new Deputy Prime Minister - a change that leaves the Coalition with its sixth ‘PM and deputy PM combination’ since 2013, when it came to power. Michael McCormack from the National Party – the Liberal Party’s Coalition partner which represents rural Australia – was ousted in a so-called ‘Leadership Spill’ in the party room and replaced as party leader (which automatically brings the position of Deputy PM) by Barnaby Joyce. Mr Joyce was forced to resign due to controversial actions as Deputy PM several years back.

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Digital Snapshot

by Katja Theodorakis

PATHS TO PARTNERSHIP: A NEW ERA OF ALIGNMENT?

It has been a big week for multilateralism, diplomacy and partnerships, it appears – with several important summits on the international agenda and big rhetoric by world leaders to mark the occasions. G7 host, Brexit-Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson had pitched the G7+ (Australia was among several countries invited to the expanded version) under the vision of a new "alliance of democratic states". Likewise, on his first Europe trip as US President, Joe Biden was expected to use the G7 Summit, subsequent EU-US and NATO summits as well as a number of bilateral talks (including with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Queen Elizabeth II) to send a clear a signal of consensus - that the West was once again speaking as one voice. Likewise, in a foreign policy speech on Wednesday last week, ahead of his trip to the Summit, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has given a sweeping foreign policy speech which outlined a vision of enhanced cooperation amongst liberal democracies, identifying five ‘areas of advocacy’ where “liberal democracies should be stepping up with coordinated action”.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

SAMOA – A FAST End to an Era of Political Dominance?

In Samoa, events have unfolded thick and fast since the general election held on 9 April. In order to understand them, some basic details are needed.

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Digital Snapshot

by Katja Theodorakis

Australia’s New Normal a Guilded Cage? An Update on Pandemic Management

While the Australian Government has successfully stemmed a large nation-wide Covid-19 outbreak, the country’s vaccine rollout did not go as planned and the vast majority of the population is still unvaccinated. Its ‘stay home, save lives’ campaign in the early months of the pandemic was effective in containing the virus and - despite constituting unprecedented restrictions to their freedom- overall, Australians have been largely supportive of the ongoing targeted lockdown and border closure measures. Australia’s borders have been closed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and are set to remain so until at least mid next year.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

NEW ZEALAND – Budget 2021

The New Zealand Government has released its Budget for the upcoming financial year. In his Budget speech, Finance Minister Grant Robertson from the governing Labour Party said that the Budget was about securing the country’s economic recovery.

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Digital Snapshot

by Katja Theodorakis

Budget 2021: The True-Blue Brick Road to Recovery?

The pandemic is far from over. Around the world, there are around 800,000 new cases per day. The euro area has fallen back into recession. By contrast, Australia is now well on the road to recovery. Employment is at a record high, with 75,000 more Australians in jobs than before the pandemic. This Budget is about securing the recovery and setting Australia up for the future. Josh Frydenberg Treasurer

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

NEW ZEALAND – State of Play

New Zealand owing to the coronavirus pandemic was in a state of national emergency from 25 March until 13 May 2020. The emergency was declared by the then Minister for Civil Defence Emergency Management, Peeni Ereatara Gladwyn Henare, under section 66 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002. The national emergency was followed by a national transition period under section 94A of the aforementioned Act, which in turn ended on 8 June 2020. These periods went along with an early and hard lockdown and equally strict measures in response to subsequent outbreaks.

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Digital Snapshot

by Katja Theodorakis

Lines in the Water: German and European Security Engagement in the Indo-Pacific

Germany is sending a ship to the Indo-Pacific – and it’s a big deal. The German frigate ‘Bayern’ (Bavaria) is expected in Perth in October as part of a journey flanked by engagements with allied nations and organizations (after participating in Operation Sea Guardian in the Mediterranean and the EU’s Operation Atalanta off Somalia, the Bayern will travel through the Strait of Malacca to Australia. On the return journey, it will participate in the United Nations’ sanctions against North Korea, and then pass through the South China Sea).

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND and the SOUTH PACIFIC – Latest news

More than twelve months have passed since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Germany, Europe and most of the rest of the world are still in the grip of the pandemic. The situation for Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific is a slightly different one.

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Digital Snapshot

by Katja Theodorakis

“Officially a Terror Organization, Religiously or Ideologically Motivated, Online, Offline, ‘Onlife’?”

A number of interesting debates and developments in regards to extremism/terrorism have been taking place in Australia and New Zealand over recent weeks and months, all to varying degrees related to the Christchurch attack and touching on fundamental questions/ issues.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

SAMOA – General Elections

The Independent State of Samoa held general elections on 9 April. Voters were called upon to elect the 17th Parliament (Parlamene) from just under 200 candidates representing five parties plus a dozen independents. The unofficial election result sees both major parties with 25 seats each in the 51-seat parliament, meaning the only independent candidate may play the role of kingmaker.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

TUVALU – Digital Transformation

Tuvalu, one of the world's smallest independent nations, comprises nine low-lying coral atolls. Half of its estimated population of 11,000 lives in the capital Funafuti. Apart from climate change and rising sea levels, with only one ATM and no online banking, accessing cash ranks amongst its biggest issues. In response, the government is considering the introduction of blockchain technology. The objective is for the country to become a paperless society, with all of its legislative, executive and financial data stored online in a public ledger. The idea is also to replace its cash economy with a new digital currency, rather than using one of the cryptocurrencies currently available.

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Digital Snapshot

by Katja Theodorakis

The Quad Joint-Leaders Meeting: A New Era of Strategic Leadership in the Indo-Pacific?

This is, I would argue, the most significant thing to have occurred to protect Australia’s security and sovereignty since ANZUS.” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, on the Quad leaders meeting between the heads of state of Australia, India, the US and Japan

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA – General Elections

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) held general elections on 2 March 2021. Of the unicameral Congress’ 14 seats, ten were available. In the absence of political parties, all candidates stood as independents for the two-year parliamentary term.

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Digital Snapshot

By Katja Theodorakis

Saving Journalism and Curbing Platform Power? Australia’s News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code

"People in free societies like Australia who go to ballot boxes, and go and they vote -- that's who should run the world, the people and citizens of the nations of the world, not big global tech giants. "They produce amazing technology that does amazing things … and it's exciting, but at the end of the day, all of these things must be accountable to sovereign elected governments. "Which means at the end of the day, Australians should be in charge." Prime Minister Scott Morrison, February 26 2021

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM – Regionalism in Crisis

Since 2014, the Pacific Islands Forum’s work is guided by the Framework for Regionalism, which sets out the strategic vision, values, objectives and approaches to achieve deeper integration in the region. The Framework defines regionalism as:

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Digital Snapshot

by Katja Theodorakis

THE WAY AHEAD FOR US-AUSTRALIA TIES: BEYOND ALLIANCE MANAGEMENT?

"President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia to highlight the strength of the U.S.-Australia alliance, which remains an anchor of stability in the Indo-Pacific and the world.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

NEW ZEALAND – APEC 2021

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is hosted by New Zealand this year under the theme Join. Work. Grow. Together. The economic and trade forum was kicked off by way of informal senior officials’ meetings between 9 and 11 December 2020. For the first time in the forum’s history, all meetings will be held virtually. While the host country’s decision to go virtual is comprehensible with a view to the ongoing pandemic, it has given rise to cybersecurity concerns.

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Digital Snapshot

by Katja Theodorakis

FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY: 2020 HIGHLIGHTS AND LOOKING AHEAD

2020 is coming to a close and many of us in in the foreign policy and (national) security space may be reflecting back also on the key events of this tumultuous year. As a year marked by staggering impact of the pandemic, the upheavals created by the Trump presidency and his ensuing election loss, Australia’s deteriorating relationship with China, 2020 was not necessarily flanked by too many optimistic takes on world events. Yet, as the US is holding out for the Biden presidency to usher in a new chapter for the country, we also hold high hopes for 2021.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

PACER plus

The Pacific Agreement On Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus is due to come into force on 13 December 2020. Eleven years after the negotiations commenced and three years after they concluded, the Agreement was signed by Australia, New Zealand and nine Pacific Island countries. Of the signatories, nine countries have ratified it: Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Kiribati, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Niue and the Cook Islands. Nauru, Tuvalu and Vanuatu have signed the Agreement but not yet ratified it. Neither Fiji nor Papua New Guinea, the two largest economies in the Pacific, have signed the Agreement to date.

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Digital Snapshot

by Eva U Wagner

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a constitutional monarchy and member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II, currently represented by Governor General Sir Bob Dadae. Since 2019, the government is led by Prime Minister (PM) James Marape. PNG’s unicameral national parliament has more than 100 members who are elected for five year terms. They nominate the governor general, who is then appointed by the British monarch, and the prime minister, who in turn appoints the ministers of the cabinet.

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Digital Snapshot

By Katja Theodorakis

Concentric Circles of Extremism: A Lens on The Far Right

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect the position of KAS Australia and the Pacific. Rather, they have been selected to present an overview of the various topics and perspectives which have been dominating the public and political debate in the Australia-Pacific region.…

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Digital Snapshot

By Eva U Wagner

New Zealand – Official Election Results

There were over 3.2 million enrolled voters, a record of just under 2 million of which voted in advance. Given the total number of party votes of just under 2.9 million, only about 900,000 voters must have cast their votes on the actual election day. Official figures of special declaration votes (including overseas votes) are expected to be made available as of 20 November.

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Digital Snapshot

By Katja Theodorakis

The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Challenges and Opportunities for Australia and Germany

In light of the recently released German Government Policy Guidelines on the Indo-Pacific and the Australian Government’s Strategic Update 2020, the Ministers discussed their countries’ respective approaches to a rapidly evolving strategic environment. Minister Reynolds explained that changes in the strategic environment required adjustments to the prevailing modus operandi: how militaries innovate, in terms of capabilities, organization and long-term strategic thinking.

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Digital Snapshot

By Dr Beatrice Gorawantschy & Eva U Wagner

SPECIAL EDITION: NEW ZEALAND – General Elections

New Zealand has elected a new parliament on 17 October 2020. The preliminary election results are in line with the pre-election polls and show that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party has gained the absolute majority.…

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Digital Snapshot

By Katja Theodorakis

The Quad and Beyond: Constellations, Partnerships and Alliances across the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic

As global power and wealth have been shifting towards Asia, Australia and increasingly also Europe, are faced with the challenge of how to respond. This is connected to debates about what kinds of alliances, partnerships and collaborative constellations are needed to balance Chinese ambitions.

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Digital Snapshot

By Eva U Wagner

New Zealand – Run up to the elections

Following Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s decision to postpone the date by four weeks, New Zealand is scheduled to hold general elections on 17 October 2020. With less than two weeks to go, it is high time for KAS Australia to provide a pre-election update.

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Digital Snapshot

By Katja Theodorakis

Australia, Germany and Europe as Shapers of the Global Order?

"We can be the shapers of a better global order. This is Europe's vocation."

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in her November 2019 speech as President -Elect to present her Commission’s programme

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Digital Snapshot

By Katja Theodorakis

Declaration of Independence? Germany’s New Indo-Pacific Policy Guidelines

Germany has just put itself on the map of the Indo-Pacific by issuing a foreign policy guideline paper that identifies the region as a key strategic priority, pledging to actively contribute to shaping it according to the principles of the rules-based order.

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Digital Snapshot

By Eva U Wagner

Pacific Islands Forum – Candidates for Secretary General

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) was founded in 1971 and describes itself as the region’s premier political and economic policy organisation. The Forum has 18 members including Australia and New Zealand. There are 14 independent island states (the Cook Islands – in a free association with New Zealand, Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu), two non-self-governing territories administered by France (New Caledonia and French Polynesia) and one associate member (Tokelau).

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Digital Snapshot

By Eva U Wagner

South Pacific Update

Six months into the Covid-19 pandemic warrant an update on the situation in the South Pacific. Let’s take a look at the case numbers first, using Australia, Germany and New Zealand as benchmarks.

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Digital Snapshot

By Katja Theodorakis

‘Tending that Garden’ – Australia’s New Cybersecurity Strategy Amidst a Changing International Society

"It’s fair to say that in 2020, our ‘international society’ is under strain. The reaction of some has been to fret about the weakening of the rules-based international order. Fair enough.

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Digital Snapshot

By Katja Theodorakis

Australia’s Defence Strategic Update and EU Defence: Finding a New Power at the Pointy End of Foreign Policy and Diplomacy?

Disclaimer:The views expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect the position of KAS Australia and the Pacific. Rather, they have been selected to present an overview of the various topics and perspectives which have been dominating the public and political debate in the Australia-Pacific region.…

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