Big Ideas Folgen

Soon after entering the White House,  President Biden told the world: America is back. That sentence drew a line under his predecessor and summed up his intention to restore America to its leading position in global affairs. And there’s lots to do as he navigates the pandemic, the climate emergency and intense competition with China and Russia. Biden’s National Security Advisor outlines the Biden plan.

The world has entered a post-American era. Some call it the ‘Asian century’. US global leadership is in decline, and Asia is now in the ascendancy. China, in particular, is asserting itself as a global power. So believes Michael Pembroke, who argues in his book, Play By the Rules, that after leading the creation of the post Second World War rules based order, US moral authority has since been diminishing.

Sir Henry Parkes’ vison for Federation has taken a beating over the last two years. The Father of the Federation has fought for over a decade to convince Australia that a Commonwealth is stronger than a collection of colonies – or states. Big Ideas reflects on the life of Henry Parkes – and what motivated him to help forge Australia into nationhood.