The US elections held on November 2 were important for many reasons: the decisiveness of the final vote, the significance of the outcome for President Bush, what it tells us about America, and what it means for the rest of the world. Despite media predictions to the contrary, the US election was a triumph for…
The newly-installed President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has foreshadowed a new relationship with Australia, which will have long-term benefits for both countries. The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, is conscious of the need to build close relationships with Indonesia under its new President, after being marginalised by former President Megawati Sukarnoputri. Unlike Megawati, the…
The latest outbreak of citrus canker, described as the “foot and mouth” disease of the citrus industry, raises fundamental questions about the operations of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS), the body which has responsibility for handling exotic diseases in Australia. Until recently, the disease was unknown in Australia. Citrus canker is highly contagious…
With days to go before Americans elect a new President, the United States is increasingly polarised between the two presidential candidates, George Bush and John Kerry. However, the key policy differences have been largely obscured by the personalities of the two men, with Democrats seizing on President Bush’s religious views, oil company background and occasional…