Public Affairs

Expert opinion and analysis on government, power, policy and people and how it shapes our world.

23 December 2021 – 2021, Australia, COP26, Carbon Emissions, Climate Change
What we now know about climate change after 2021
2021 made us focus on climate change as well as COVID-19; University of Melbourne experts discuss what we now know about climate change at the end of 2021
17 December 2021 – Caste System, History, India, Protest, Racism
Understanding modern attacks on Gandhi
Statues of Mahatma Gandhi have been vandalised or removed around the world ; University of Melbourne experts explore why his likeness faces attacks today.
23 November 2021 – Asia, Asialink, Australia, Australia-China Relations, International Relations
Finding Australia’s new Asia narrative
A University of Melbourne expert says Australia’s challenge post-COVID is finding a new narrative for how it relates to its Asian neighbours, particularly China
14 September 2021 – Australia, COVID-19, Democracy, Joe Biden, United States
Australia needs a democracy fix
A University of Melbourne expert says COVID-19's domination of public life since 2020 has overshadowed the need to focus on the health of Australia's democracy.
11 November 2020 – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Indigenous, Indigenous Policy, Land Rights, NAIDOC Week
Safeguarding our shared cultural heritage
There are thousands of agreements between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, but University of Melbourne experts say these agreements don’t always work.
10 November 2020 – COVID-19, COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Inquiry, Privatisation, Public Management, Public Service
The limits of government outsourcing
Failures in Victoria's COVID-19 hotel quarantine highlight growing concerns that outsourcing is hollowing out government, says University of Melbourne expert.
10 November 2020 – Conservative, Donald Trump, Politics, Trumpism, US Presidential Elections
What’s next for the Republicans after Trump?
A University of Melbourne expert says, for conservatives, there are five reasons to be concerned about Trump’s legacy, and another five to be optimistic about.
4 November 2020 – Donald Trump, Elections, US President, US Presidential Elections, United States
The legacy of Trump
A University of Melbourne expert says Donald Trump’s legacy will be the loss of faith in the office of the US president – both as a leader and an institution.
27 October 2020 – Asia, Donald Trump, Foreign Policy, US Presidential Elections, United States
Trump or Biden: The implications for Asia
The US is more needed but less trusted in Asia; a University of Melbourne expert says Trump or Biden must work to restore America’s credibility in the region.
22 October 2020 – History, Human rights, Paris Agreement, Social Policy, United Nations
Celebrating 75 years: The UN’s past and future
It’s 75 years since the United Nations was formed in 1945; a University of Melbourne expert says one of its major achievements is to have survived for so long.