Correspondent's Notebook

Elections will change Tonga, but how much?

25 April 2008

This week the Pacific Island Kingdom of Tonga held its national elections, the last to be held before the constitution is changed to remove the near absolute power of the King.

Radio Australia’a Pacific Correspondent Campbell Cooney has been in Tonga covering the election and one thing he noticed was even though the changes will mean a more democratic path for the island nation, a lot of people just don’t seem to care.

Australia’s Regional future at the 2020 Summit

18 April 2008

How will the new giants – China and India – shape Australia’s world by the year 2020?

That’s one of the central questions to be discussed this weekend at Parliament House in Canberra.

The government has invited 1,000 of Australia’s best and brightest to think about long term strategies toward the end of the next decade.

One of the ten separate sessions for the weekend is devoted to Australia’s future in the region and the world, as our Canberra correspondent, Graeme Dobell reports.

BHP, Beijing and Kevin Rudd’s China visit

11 April 2008

Business reporter Karon Snowdon considers a less reported side of Kevin Rudd’s visit to China.

Australia’s new approach on Asian issues

4 April 2008

Australia’s prime minister is out visiting the world, but also explaining how he sees the world.

Kevin Rudd’s current tour of the United States, Europe and China has involved a progressive unveiling of the new government’s approach to international policy.

A set of Asian issues have stood beside the other messages from the prime minister on the strength of the United States alliance and a new emphasis on multi-lateralism.

This report by Radio Australia’s foreign affairs correspondent, Graeme Dobell.