Here's how we can beat America's 'economic coercion' ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Free-trade agreements used to be worth the paper they were printed on. With a barrage of tariffs over the past year, the Trump administration has made them worthless. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has called it “economic coercion”.

As middle powers, both Australia and Canada are looking for ways to reduce dependence on unpredictable US policies. This has involved signing new “economic security” deals with a range of partners that sit alongside trade agreements.

In the latest piece in our After the Rupture series, Peter Draper and Nathan Gray say both nations have a crucial piece of leverage with the US: our production of critical minerals that are essential for a range of energy and defence applications. But will Australia seek to use it?

Victoria Thieberger

Business and Economics Editor

As global trade rules falter, how can Australia protect itself from economic coercion?

Peter Draper, Adelaide University ; Nathan Howard Gray, Adelaide University

Australia’s best defence isn’t to retreat from open trade, but to strengthen and diversify the rules-based system that supports it.

AUKUS is binding Australia to a dangerous, unpredictable leader. We need a Plan B now

Hugh White, Australian National University

There are three major, unresolved questions with AUKUS that illustrate why this plan is not right for Australia, given the changing nature of the US.

What is the ‘acid rain’ in the wake of US bombings in Iran? An atmospheric scientist explains

Gabriel da Silva, The University of Melbourne

This rain would include acids but also likely many other pollutants harmful to humans and the environment. It may be worse than the term ‘acid rain’ conveys.

The Iranian revolution transformed global extremism, replacing left-wing radicalism with religion

Alexander Howard, University of Sydney

Left-wing radicalism dominated the 1970s – until the 1979 Iranian Revolution became a catalyst for ‘a new and different energy’.

Your child has pathological demand avoidance? Here’s what it means – and 9 tips for what to do

Nicole Rinehart, Monash University; David Moseley, Monash University; Simon Moss, Monash University

Effective support revolves around addressing the origins of this behaviour

How ‘looksmaxxing’ self-improvement apps are marketing misogyny to young men

Marten Risius, The University of Queensland; Christopher David, Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences; Daline Ostermaier, Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences

Apps that promise young men ‘ascension’ to greater attractiveness can be a funnel to toxic incel ideology.

The Oscars aren’t a meritocracy – there’s a complex formula for winning

William Simon, University of Tasmania

From sticking to prestige themes, to carefully timed releases, to millions spent on publicity – there’s plenty of politics behind Hollywood’s greatest accolade.

5 top tips for the perfect compost – according to science

Gregory Moore, The University of Melbourne

Is your compost a veritable Vesuvius of foul-smelling, putrescible plant waste? You might be doing everything wrong. Fear not; you can learn from your mistakes.

Business + Economy
Insolvencies have spiked – would a law change let more businesses trade their way out of trouble? Benjamin Liu, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau A law review offers a chance to rethink whether NZ’s insolvent trading rules strike the right balance between creditor protection and business rescue.

No time to waste
"John Blaxland says it will be difficult to disengage militarily from the US. That means we should start as soon as possible. Events of the past 30 years have shown the US cannot be trusted as an ally. To rely on them for security can be summed up in the words of Oscar Wilde: “the triumph of hope over experience”. The cost of doing so may not be as high as he thinks. For security, you need to ensure the costs of invading or menacing Australia are higher than any possible benefits. Removing American spy bases, troops and military assets from Australia will greatly reduce any potential benefit an adversary may gain from menacing Australia."
Michael Poole

Why did we put up with it?
"Why were Kyle and Jackie O ever tolerated, much less idolized and given political access? What does it say about some of us? Australians prepared to listen and laugh at vile jokes about violence, toilet humour and misogyny? While many turned away, why did we not condemn and demand that they be removed as a toxic influence in our midst?"
Pamela Curr OAM

Neocon or old hat?
"In his recent speech to the Australian parliament, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney noted with regard to the combined pension funds of Canada and Australia: “… it will increasingly matter who owes whom and who owns what”. I can remember when commentators and others shouted loudly that such didn’t matter. Perhaps Carney’s comment flags the declining influence of neocon economics."
Victor Brooke, Isaacs, ACT

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