2026 Lowy Institute Media Lecture: Dennis Richardson AC

At the 2026 Lowy Institute Media Award dinner, former ambassador and intelligence chief Dennis Richardson AC traced five decades at the sharp end of government-media relations, from running the Commonwealth's first media monitoring unit in 1972 to advising ambassadors on when to dodge the cameras. …

Prime Minister of Thailand Anutin Charnvirakul

The Lowy Institute was delighted to welcome Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to Bligh Street for a roundtable discussion, chaired by the Institute's Executive Director Michael Fullilove.   The Prime Minister delivered a brief speech, discussing the roles of Thailand, Australia, and mid…

Lowy Institute debate: Does AUKUS strengthen Australia's security?

Two prominent Australian strategists from opposite sides of the defence debate discuss the AUKUS partnership. Jennifer Parker makes the case that AUKUS is vital for Australian security and that the nuclear-powered submarines will be delivered. Sam Roggeveen argues that AUKUS is unachievable and u…

2026 Allan Gyngell Lecture: Senator Penny Wong

The 2026 Allan Gyngell Lecture was delivered by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong. Senator Wong paid tribute to Allan Gyngell’s influence on her thinking, reflected on multiculturalism as a source of national strength, and framed Australia’s strategic choices in an increa…

Mission critical: Why India matters for Australia’s economic future

The Australia–India relationship has taken on growing significance in recent years, a point echoed by policy leaders as they welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his recent visit. Hear from leading experts as they analyse the recent visit by PM Modi and explore how the two countries can deepen…

Preferred partners: India-Australia defence cooperation in a changing Indo Pacific

India matters to Australia more than ever — as a strategic partner, a major trading economy, and a fellow member of the Quad — at a moment when Indo-Pacific security is deeply contested. Hear from leading experts as they examine the India–Australia relationship and how the two countries can deepen …

Pessimistic and unsafe: How Australians feel about the world today

Power politics is intensifying. Economies are sputtering. Living standards are falling. Societal change is dizzying. When Australians look at the world today, they don’t like what they see.  Now in its 22nd year, the 2026 Lowy Institute Poll captures how Australians feel about a world order that i…

Dire straits: Strategic chokepoints in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait

What can Southeast Asia learn from the conflict in the Persian Gulf and should we be worried about the next maritime flashpoint closer to home? At a Lowy Institute event at the National Press Club, Sam Roggeveen was joined by three leading Southeast Asia experts to explore Asia's maritime hotspots…

The trust deficit: Why Australians' attitudes towards America and China are shifting

Australians increasingly see China as an economic partner rather than a security threat — while still bracing for it as a long-term military risk. That's one of the striking findings from the 22nd Lowy Institute Poll, launched in Sydney. At the launch, Poll author Charlie Lyons-Jones joined Lowy I…

Whose rules, whose order? Southeast Asia and China’s growing power

Southeast Asia’s economic and geostrategic significance is on the rise, but China’s expanding dominance and a more transactional United States are challenging the region’s future. As Washington and Beijing force unwanted choices on Southeast Asia, regional states are struggling to defend the open a…