The Australian holy trinity that Obama wanted for America
Barack Obama wanted three attributes of Australia for America. He wanted Australia's universal healthcare system, its gun laws and its compulsory voting system.
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Peter Hartcher
Peter Hartcher is the political editor and international editor of The Sydney Morning Herald. He is a Gold Walkley award winner, a former foreign correspondent in Tokyo and Washington, and a visiting fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy. His latest book is The Sweet Spot: How Australia Made its Own Luck and Could Now Throw it All Away. His 2005 book, Bubble Man: Alan Greenspan and the Missing Seven Trillion Dollars, foresaw the collapse of the US housing market and the economic slump that followed.
How to ensure Australia thrives when the robots come
In this moment between techno-rapture and techno-panic, it would be a real achievement to get some techno-sense.
The reassuring message in the German and NZ elections
This is supposed to be the era of Trump and Brexit, Le Pen and Hanson but pro-incumbent electorates have delivered continuity and stability.
The great Australian tradition we must not forget
Tony Abbott's headbutting didn't do anything to addle his political brain. He turned the incident nicely to his argue his case. Neither should the rest of us allow it to befuddle our brains.
Why Australia shouldn't count on China for prosperity
You need to know about the news item last week announcing that a big international conglomerate was forced to sell one of its businesses in China.
Marriage vote is the 'yes' campaign's to lose
While the forces of marriage status quo started this campaign a long way behind, they include one of Australia's wiliest and most successful campaigners.
Five big crises that got worse while the world watched Irma
Five world-changing crises advanced while most media attention was fixed on the hurricane.
ASEAN: The Asian strategic player that stinks
The truth is that, whether it's the region's economic crisis of 1997, the Rohingya refugee crisis of today or anything in between, ASEAN is next to useless.
Testing the depth
The real killer for the Left's pursuit of identity politics is that it's not the only player on the field. The Right plays the game too. And it can play it better.
Global expansion: how far will China go?
Could Chinese infrastructure be a Trojan horse for Chinese takeover of foreign countries?
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