The Australian Election: Implications for Climate and Foreign Policy

 

On 21 May 2022, Australians went to the polls to vote in the federal election. The outcome of this election was a decisive blow the outgoing Prime Minister Scott Morrison whose Liberal Party lost 19 seats. After nearly a decade in power, Liberal Party MPs will now take up their seats in the opposition benches. Australia has a new Prime Minister – Anthony Albanese of the Labor Party.

In her address to the IIEA, Kate Clayton analyses the results of the recent Australian federal election and highlights the key issues facing the incoming Albanese Government. As the Indo-Pacific becomes increasingly contested, Australian foreign policy faces new challenges. Ms Clayton argues that Mr Albanese’s premiership offers renewed hope for climate action and for a more engaged Australia on the international scene.

About the Speaker: 

Kate Clayton is a Research Officer at the La Trobe Asia, a research centre based in La Trobe University, Melbourne. Ms Clayton’s research focuses on security policy, geopolitics, and climate change in Australia and the Indo-Pacific. Her work has been featured in a wide range of publications, including The Conversation, The Canberra Times, The Australian Institute of International Affairs and The Perth US-Asia Centre, to name but a few. Ms Clayton is also a frequent media contributor and has contributed to outlets including ABC News and The Age. She is Chief Operations Officer at Young Australians in International Affairs. Ms Clayton holds an MA in International Relations from the University of Melbourne, a BA from La Trobe University, and has studied at Chongqing University in China.