The Lowy Institute

A conversation about Australia’s climate change debate. How did we get here? What does the public think? And how will Australia be placed in the lead-up to COP26 in Glasgow?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Lowy Institute Conversations, Herve Lemahieu, the Director of the Institute’s Power and Diplomacy Program, talks with Lord Adair Turner, former Chairman of the UK Committee on Climate Change and chair of the Energy Transmissions Commission, on the global climate agenda leading up to the November 2021 Glasgow climate summit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lowy Institute conversation with one of the world’s most respected economists, Professor Raghuram Rajan. In 2005, Professor Rajan presciently warned of the risks to financial stability that lay ahead. What are those risks today? What should we make of the dramatic shift in favour of fiscal activism in advanced economies? Is Big Tech helping or hindering innovation? What is the place of social institutions in the economy? And how can India emerge from its Covid-19 crisis?Raghuram Rajan is the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago’s Booth School. He was the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 2013 to 2016. From 2003 to 2006, he was chief economist of the International Monetary Fund. He is the author of several best-selling books, including Fault lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy and The Third Pillar: How Markets and the State Hold the Community Behind.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Lowy Institute Conversations, Ben Bland, the Director of the Institute’s Southeast Asia Program, sits down with author Elizabeth Becker to talk about the pioneering – but often overlooked – contributions of women war correspondents in Vietnam and beyond. Elizabeth Becker is a veteran foreign correspondent who has worked for the Washington Post, the New York Times and National Public Radio, reporting from Asia, Africa, South America and Europe. After covering the war in Cambodia in the 1970s, she wrote an award-winning history of the rise of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge. Elizabeth’s new book, You Don’t Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War, explores how three intrepid journalists – Frances FitzGerald, Catherine Leroy and Kate Webb – changed the way the Vietnam War was seen and understood.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with the Brookings Institution scholar and Merkel-watcher Dr Constanze Stelzenmüller. Constanze holds the Fritz Stern Chair at Brookings. Michael and Constanze talk about the chancellorship of Angela Merkel, her legacy, and look to the future of German politics. Constanze reflects on the state of transatlantic relations, Germany’s relationship with China, and considers whether Merkel will go down as one of ‘the great chancellors’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the Lowy Institute's headquarters at 31 Bligh Street, former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull launched a new book, 'Red Zone: China’s Challenge and Australia’s Future' by Nonresident Fellow Peter Hartcher.Hartcher’s new book explores China’s intentions in relation to Australia, and what lies behind the recent chill between the two countries. The launch event included remarks by Turnbull and Hartcher as well as a Q&A hosted by Research Director Alex Oliver.This event was recorded on 31 May 2021.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Lowy Institute Conversations, Richard McGregor, Lowy Institute Senior Fellow, sits down with Linda Jaivin to discuss her new book, The Shortest History of China. Linda Jaivin is a journalist, writer and translator who has been studying Chinese politics, language and culture for more than 40 years. She is based in Sydney.Conversations is a Lowy Institute podcast in which Institute researchers and some of the world's leading experts delve into the big issues in international affairs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with Admiral Harry Harris, the former US commander and diplomat. Harry served as the Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, and as President Trump’s Ambassador to South Korea. Harry discusses his military career, which took in postings from Guantanamo Bay to INDOPACOM headquarters in Honolulu, when he led nearly 400,000 military personnel. They also discuss his time as a diplomat, when he grappled with issues including Black Lives Matter and President Trump’s attempts to cut a deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Harry recounts his ‘Sliding Doors’ moment, when he was meant to serve as Ambassador to Australia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covid-19 remains a significant challenge for Papua New Guinea. While case numbers appear to have stabilised after a big surge earlier this year, the virus continues to spread and put further strain on already-stretched healthcare resources. Much needed vaccines have arrived and a national rollout strategy has begun. But vaccine hesitancy is a huge concern – with frontline health workers among those reluctant to accept the vaccine. A major factor appears to be online misinformation – with conspiracy theories and fake news proliferating, and adding to the burden for those trying to reduce the pandemic’s impact.In this online event, the panellists discuss the challenges of Covid-19 and social media misinformation in Papua New Guinea. Researchers at the ABC Media Development Initiative outline their latest data tracking the spread of online misinformation, and panellists to discuss the impact it has on health outcomes, and the broader community.This event was hosted by Shane McLeod, a Research Fellow working with

In this episode of Lowy Institute Conversations, Roland Rajah, Lowy Institute Lead Economist, sits down with Dr Ross Garnaut to discuss the ideas in his new book, Reset: Restoring Australia after the Pandemic Recession. Ross Garnaut is one of Australia’s foremost public intellectuals. In 2008 he produced the Garnaut Climate Change Review for the Australian government, as well as an update of the review in 2011. He was previously a principal economic advisor to former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke and Australia’s ambassador to China in the late 1980s. Conversations is a Lowy Institute podcast in which Institute researchers and some of the world's leading experts delve into the big issues in international affairs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Myanmar’s military seized power on 1 February, it sent the country spiralling into a political and economic crisis. Despite killing hundreds of peaceful protesters and detaining thousands of activists and politicians, the military has been unable to break the civil disobedience movement. It is unable to govern Myanmar, and risks turning the country into a failed state. As the situation deteriorates, what can the world do to help resolve the Myanmar crisis?Scot Marciel, a former US ambassador to Myanmar; Khin Ohmar, a veteran democracy activist from Myanmar; Rizal Sukma, an Indonesian foreign policy expert; and Janelle Saffin, a Labor MP and the founder of the Australia-Myanmar Parliament Group, joined Ben Bland, Director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute, for a discussion on the Myanmar crisis.This Lowy Institute Live event was recorded on 7 May 2021 at 1pm AEST.- Event Speakers - Scot Marciel is a Visiting Scholar and Practicioner Fellow at the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Resea

In this episode of Lowy Institute Conversations, Alexandre Dayant, Research Fellow at the Lowy Institute, sits down with David Malpass, President of the World Bank, to discuss the Bank’s COVID-19 response and developing countries’ long road to recovery, as well as the hurdles the institution has faced during the pandemic. David R. Malpass is the 13th President of the World Bank Group. He previously served as US Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs. Conversations is a Lowy Institute podcast in which Institute researchers and some of the world's leading experts delve into the big issues in international affairs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Wednesday 21 April, the Lowy Institute's Aus-PNG Network held a panel discussion with health professionals from provinces in PNG to talk about the Covid-19 situation and how local officials are contending with the virus.Papua New Guinea is dealing with a widespread outbreak of Covid-19 that has placed already stretched health services across the country under intense strain. While the situation in the capital Port Moresby is difficult, the pandemic’s impact is also being felt in provinces across the country.Panellists included Dr Pamela Toliman, PNG Institute of Medical Research, Goroka; Dr Stella Jimmy, Provincial Coordinator Covid-19, West Sepik Provincial Health Authority, Vanimo; Professor Brendan Crabb, CEO, Burnet Institute, Melbourne; and Shane McLeod, Project Director, Aus-PNG Network (host).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday 15 April, the Lowy Institute launched the new Lowy Institute Paper by John Edwards, one of Australia’s leading economists: Reconstruction: Australia After COVID.The book was launched with a panel discussion with Lowy Institute board director, former APEC ambassador and OECD staffer Joanna Hewitt AO, Lowy Institute Papers editor Sam Roggeveen and author John Edwards on the fractured state of the global economy, America’s epic economic contest with China, and what it all means for Australia.Dr John Edwards is a Senior Fellow at the Lowy Institute. He was a member of the Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia from 2011 to 2016. He was principal economic adviser to Treasurer and then Prime Minister Paul Keating.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Monday 19 April, Peter Khalil MP and Dave Sharma MP had a discussion about Australia’s place in the world with Lowy Institute’s Director of Research Alex Oliver. They covered: what Australia should be doing in the world as an engaged middle power, Australia-China relations, and the fight against climate change.Peter Khalil is the Federal Labor Member for Wills, elected to Parliament in 2016 and re-elected at the 2019 election. Prior to his parliamentary career, Mr Khalil was a Victorian Multicultural Commissioner, an Executive Director at SBS and a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution, Washington DC. He was foreign policy adviser to the prime minister (2007–08), served in Iraq (2003–04) with the Department of Defence and worked at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Mr Khalil has bachelor’s degrees in arts and law from Melbourne University and a master’s degree in international law from Australian National University.Dave Sharma was elected to Parliament as the Liberal Member for Wentworth

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with Dr Samir Saran, President of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), a leading Indian think tank. Michael and Samir talk about India’s devastating second wave of COVID, the time it will take for India to recover from the crisis, and what the pandemic means for US-China relations. Samir speaks about his own experiences with the virus and analyses how the crisis may affect India’s position in the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Lowy Institute Conversations, Roland Rajah, Lowy Institute lead economist, sits down with Dr John Edwards and Jennifer Hewitt to discuss Australia’s economy after COVID-19. Dr John Edwards is a Lowy Institute Senior Fellow, an Adjust Professor at Curtin University, a former board member of the Reserve Bank of Australia, and was senior economic advisor to Prime Minister Paul Keating. Jennifer Hewitt is national affairs columnist at The Australian Financial Review. Conversations is a Lowy Institute podcast in which Institute researchers and some of the world's leading experts delve into the big issues in international affairs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a priority vaccination program underway, Papua New Guinea is striving to get control of a mushrooming outbreak of Covid-19. The virus is putting immense strain on the country’s health system, with hospitals and facilities struggling to cope.PNG Health Minister Hon. Jelta Wong has been a key figure in the country’s response. Mr Wong was first appointed Minister for Health in 2019, and after a reshuffle in late 2020 was reappointed to the key post. Mr Wong has also served in the portfolios of Police and Civil Aviation after being elected to the East New Britain seat of Gazelle Open in 2017.Listen to this special Aus-PNG Network online event with Minister Wong in conversation with Jonathan Pryke, the Director of the Lowy Institute’s Pacific Islands Program. Recorded on 1 April 2021.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with the distinguished policymaker and policy entrepreneur Michèle Flournoy. Michèle is a former senior Pentagon official, managing partner of WestExec Advisors, and chair of the Center for a New American Security. Michèle is a leading expert on US defence and strategic policy. She served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy in the Clinton administration. Michèle also served as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy in the Obama administration, which made her, at the time, the highest-ranking woman in the history of the Pentagon. Michael and Michèle discuss the rise of China, the resilience of America and Australia’s and New Zealand’s approach to the world. Michèle also reflects on the Bush administration's decision to invade Iraq, the workplace environment at the Pentagon, and risk of conflict in the Taiwan Strait.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Lowy Institute Conversations, Director of the Southeast Asia Program Ben Bland sits down with Nathan Law to discuss exile, China’s repressive policies and the long struggle ahead for democracy in Hong Kong. Nathan Law is a Hong Kong democracy activist who was elected as the city’s youngest-ever legislator in 2016 before being disqualified by the government and then jailed for his role in the 2014 Umbrella Revolution. He fled Hong Kong last year for London after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law, and he remains on a Chinese “wanted” list for his advocacy of human rights and democracy. In between protests, politics and prison, he found time to take a master’s degree in East Asian Studies at Yale University. Conversations is a new Lowy Institute podcast in which Institute researchers and some of the world's leading experts delve into the big issues in international affairs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.