On Tuesday 18 November, six of our current interns presented their end of internship analyses on a variety of topical issues at a well-attended meeting at Glover Cottages. Elizabeth Wale asserted that those fleeing the deleterious effects of climate change had just as compelling a case for refugee status as those fleeing political persecution, a fact sadly not recognised by the Australian government.  Jana Dekanovska suggested that in its trade activities, Australian governments concentrated too much on Asian countries to the neglect of markets in Europe. Given the enormous size of a combined European market, Australian efforts to redirect efforts to negotiate FTAs were overdue.  Megan Fung focused on the future challenges facing the National Unity Government in Afghanistan with the backdrop of a rising Taliban insurgency, the withdrawal of the bulk of coalition forces, as well as negative economic growth and lack of donor support. She also briefly examined Australia’s future role in the country. 

Gaby Nash, Sandra Bayreh, Janka Dekanovska, Megan Fung, Iona Main, Elisabeth Wale and Dr Robert Howard

Iona Main talked about the election of President Jokowi in Indonesia. If he reduced the petrol subsidy and tackled poverty and corruption, Indonesia’s economic and social future would be bright, and the spin-off for Australia in terms of trade and investment would be incalculable. Gaby Nash argued that Australia’s asylum policies were immoral. Australia had signed most international protocols on human rights and refugees, but continually flouted them. There was little or no difference between Australia’s political parties on practices and issues. By using inaccurate terms like illegal aliens and queue jumpers, Australian media have fuelled the fires of public fear.  Sandra Baryeh analysed differences between the practice of Islam in two South East Asian countries, and wondered if Islam could ever be compatible with democracy. She thought it could in the case of Indonesia, which took a bottom-up approach in a pluralistic system of government; but probably not in the case of Malaysia, with its ethno-nationalism and oligarchs, where the state barely embraced democratic tolerance.