Foreign Policy in the Australian Elections

Hopkins Podcast on Foreign Affairs

The Australian election is scheduled for Saturday, May 21, and is expected to be a tight race between the current Liberal-National coalition and the opposition Labor party. This election occurs in the 70th year of the US-Australia alliance and in a moment in which headlines are inundated by the war in Ukraine, news of China’s aggression in the South Pacific, and differing expectations over how the American-Australian and wider alliances will evolve.

In this episode, we’ll examine the foreign policy implications of Australia’s upcoming election, including what the recent China-Solomon Islands security agreement and the unfolding war in Ukraine could mean for Australian national security. In particular, we’ll explore the candidates’ approaches to navigating Australia’s alliances and its relationship with a more aggressive China. Joining me on the podcast is Dr. Charles Edel.

Dr. Edel is the inaugural Australia Chair and a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Prior to that, Dr. Edel served on the U.S. secretary of state’s Policy Planning Staff from 2015 to 2017, where he advised the secretary of state on political and security issues in the Indo-Pacific region.

Foreign Policy in the Australian Elections

Episode Credits:

Editor: Lidie Ataoguz

Host: Julia An