‘We all know what to do, but we don’t know how to get re-elected once we have done it.’ — Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg ‘Since a politician never believes what he says, he …
Articles by: "Peter McCawley"
Watch what ministers do, not what they say Discern what ministers mean, because ultimately that’s where they’ll head. The public service must manage and massage the zigzags. When what a minister proclaims gets too far …
Working in the public service can be a fraught game. Senior public servants doing the nation’s business in Canberra play for high stakes. A service career can consume much—even the career itself. There’s sharp competition …
The 2017 foreign policy white paper makes much of Australia’s values. Malcolm Turnbull’s introduction to the white paper says that ‘Australia’s values are enduring’. Turnbull has now moved on, but the focus on Australia’s values …
Peter Jennings’ piece ‘Indonesia and Australia: prisoner’s dilemma’ points out the main options in the shorter term for the Australian government in considering possible negotiations with Jakarta over Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran’s urgent situation. …
With a population of around 250 million, Indonesia is the world’s third-largest developing country. What’s less well-known is that Indonesia is the de facto leader of ASEAN, a key regional grouping with a population of over …