Expanding alliance: ANZUS cooperation and Asia–Pacific security

Is an alliance conceived as a bulwark against a resurgence of Japanese militarism and which cut its military and intelligence teeth in the Cold War is still relevant to today’s strategic concerns? Overview The alliance between Australia and the US, underpinned by the formal ANZUS Treaty of 1951, continues to be a central part of Australian defence and security thinking and an instrument of American policy in the Asia–Pacific. How is it that an alliance conceived as a bulwark against a resurgence of Japanese militarism and which cut its military and intelligence teeth in the Cold War is still relevant to today’s strategic concerns? The answer is partly—and importantly—that the core values of the ANZUS members are strongly aligned, and successive Australian governments and American presidential administrations have seen great value in working with like-minded partners to ensure Asia–Pacific security. Far from becoming a historical curiosity, today it’s not just relevant, but of greater importance than has been the case in the past few decades. To explore new ideas on how to strengthen the US–Australia alliance, ASPI conducted a high-level strategic dialogue in Honolulu in July this year. Discussions canvassed the future strategic environment; the forthcoming Australian Defence White Paper; budget, sovereignty and expectation risks; and cooperation in the maritime, land, air, cyber, space and intelligence domains. A key purpose of the Honolulu dialogue was to help ASPI develop policy recommendations on the alliance relationship for government. This report is the product of those discussions

Hidden Structure in the Study of Papuanistiecs and Melanesianology

Development until the late 1980s and early 1990s on embodied the initiative of a typical science as the study of Papua titled Papuanistiecs as a course of study at the Department of Southeast Asia and Oceania, Faculty of Arts, University of Leiden-The Netherlands, while Melanesianology lead anthropology has been developed since 1896 when Boas carry out research works in the region of South Pacific and the Southwest Pacific. When Papuanistiecs sounds as a specific branch of the broader Melanesianology include anthropology, the course is not closed for any other specific subject areas, especially on the natural environment as physical nature (tangible) as well as the philosophy as the inner nature (intangible). A concept of intangible or philosophy of Papua-Melanesian on Socio-Cultural structure is what being proposed in this writing work as a "hidden-structure†or ‘covered structures'. The term or this formula was by the author uses to accommodate referrals various scholars who call the social structure of Papua-Melanesian as "loosely structure" or a missing structure and also as "confusing diversity" or as confuse or chaos diverse. That, "hidden structure" is said to be so because it is hidden to those outside the system which understanding as ethics while looking for people in the system who view of understanding the relationship of emics accused loose or off and confuse or confusing is very well lightly acknowledge. Melanesianology and Papuanistiecs very well coordinated by the Sydney University and the Australian National University in Canberra by enabling the University of Papua New Guinea/UPNG in Port Moresby PNG and the University of the South Pacific/USP, in Suva-Fiji. In addition to its general purpose by making Papuanistiecs and Melanesianology as a discipline of area regional study, the special purpose of the author also is about to raise these matters in connection with the State University of Cenderawasih who have declared itself as Anthropological Study Base, then the function of Papuanistiec and Melanesianology may be of the major studies take precedence in all disciplines

Built to Change: Catalytic Capacity-Building in Nonprofit Organizations

Summarizes the results of a broad survey of programs, and business and nonprofit experts, in the field of organizational effectiveness

Stepping in New Directions: The Canadian Army’s Observer Program in the Asia-Pacific Region, 1944-45

In early 1944, and in anticipation of a government decision to commit ground forces to the war against Japan, the Canadian army launched a program that sent officers to the Asia-Pacific region to observe Allied operations. The observer program was well underway when, in November 1944, the Canadian government ordered the army to prepare a division to serve under American command in the Pacific theatre. The observer program helped the army deal with two significant challenges: learning how to fight a largely unfamiliar enemy in a tropical environment, and learning how to operate as part of an American force

TPP and Trans-Pacific Perplexities

In the past few years, the United States has been busy negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement with countries in the Asia-Pacific region. These countries include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Although it remains unclear which chapters or provisions will be included in the final text of the TPP Agreement, the negotiations have been quite controversial. In addition to the usual concerns about having high standards that are heavily lobbied by industries and arguably inappropriate for many participating countries, the TPP negotiations have been heavily criticized for their secrecy and lack of transparency, accountability and democratic participation. Written for the inaugural annual Asia-Pacific issue of the Fordham International Law Journal, this article does not seek to continue this line of criticism, although transparency, accountability and democratic participation remain highly important. Nor does the article aim to explore the agreement\u27s implications for each specific trade sector. Instead, this Article focuses on the ramifications of the exclusion of four different parties or groups of parties from the TPP negotiations: (1) China; (2) BRICS and other emerging economies; (3) Europe; and (4) civil society organizations. Targeting these TPP outsiders and using illustrations from the intellectual property sector and the larger trade context, this article seeks to highlight the perplexities created by the TPP negotiations. It cautions policymakers, commentators and the public at large against the negotiations\u27 considerable and largely overlooked costs

The Military and Security Aspects of Obama’s Pivot to Asia

Rozdział z: The Quandaries and Foreign Development, ed. D. Mierzejewski, “Contemporary Asian Studies Series

Social work education, training and standards in the Asia-Pacific region

This article discusses the joint project between the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) to establish guidelines for the training and standard setting that elucidates what social work represents on a global level. While it is impossible to address all the issues that might be significant in such a large scope, attention is given to the challenges establishing global standards might encounter in a region as diverse as the Asia-Pacific

Strengthening rules-based order in the Asia-Pacific

This paper explores the opportunities for both Australia and Japan jointly to promote their shared interest in strengthening the rule of law in the Asia–Pacific. Overview The rule of law is an essential condition if cooperation and orderly behaviour are to be advanced in the Asia–Pacific. We need norms and rules that guide—and govern—relations among regional states. Australia and Japan share an interest in minimising the role that coercion plays in the Asia–Pacific and maximising cooperation across the region. We’re both liberal democracies, with a strong bilateral security relationship, an alliance with the United States and a genuine commitment to the rule of law. All Asia–Pacific states would profit by following Australia and Japan’s example in promoting and abiding by the rule of law in their external policies. Indeed, our region would be a much safer place if they did. ASPI has this year worked on a project to explore the opportunities for both Australia and Japan jointly to promote our shared interest in strengthening the rule of law in the Asia–Pacific. This report sets out the project’s key findings and outlines policy proposals to enhance Australia–Japan cooperation to bolster the rule of law in the region

The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Negotiations and Issues for Congress

[Excerpt] The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a potential free trade agreement (FTA) among 11, and perhaps more, countries. The United States and 10 other countries of the Asia-Pacific region— Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam—are negotiating the text of the FTA. Canada and Mexico participated for the first time in the Auckland round of negotiations in December 2012, and Japan recently announced it would seek to participate in the negotiations. With 29 chapters under negotiation, the TPP partners envision the agreement to be “comprehensive and high-standard,” in that they seek to eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade in goods, services, and agriculture, and to establish rules on a wide range of issues including foreign direct investment and other economic activities. They also strive to create a “21st-century agreement” that addresses new and cross-cutting issues presented by an increasingly globalized economy. The TPP draws congressional interest on a number of fronts. Congress would have to approve implementing legislation for U.S. commitments under the agreement to enter into force. In addition, under long-established executive-legislative practice, the Administration notifies and consults with congressional leaders, before, during, and after trade agreements have been negotiated. Furthermore, the TPP will likely affect a range of sectors and regions of the U.S. economy of direct interest to Members of Congress and could influence the shape and path of U.S. trade policy for the foreseeable future. This report examines the issues related to the proposed TPP, the state and substance of the negotiations (to the degree that the information is publically available), the specific areas under negotiation, the policy and economic contexts in which the TPP would fit, and the issues for Congress that the TPP presents. The report will be revised and updated as events warrant