Peter Hartcher
Peter Hartcher is political editor and international editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Opinion
Russia-Ukraine war
Putin sent this critic to prison as a birthday present. I spoke to him from his cell
He’s been sentenced to 8½ years in jail for discussing the massacre of Ukrainian civilians. His lawyer conveyed my questions to him and returned with his handwritten responses.
- by Peter Hartcher
Latest
Opinion
Foreign relations
Australia is ‘cool’ in Washington right now. What happens when that stops?
Trump is once again the leading candidate for the Republican nomination. Australia should not be blind to the fact that Beijing is not the only risk to our security.
- by Peter Hartcher
Exclusive
AUKUS
Caroline Kennedy says alliance won’t sink if Trump elected
The US ambassador says Australia will be able to count on the US as a reliable ally, even if Donald Trump is elected president a second time.
- by Peter Hartcher and Matthew Knott
How Caroline Kennedy discovered her inner bogan in Australia
The US ambassador to Australia, a member of America’s most storied political dynasty, has embraced everything from sausages and surfing to sheep and “shitboxes”.
- by Matthew Knott and Peter Hartcher
Opinion
South China Sea
Why Putin is losing his war, and Xi is winning his
Putin chose to launch a kinetic war to expand his territory. Xi chose “grey zone” warfare – distinctly aggressive, but without firing a shot.
- by Peter Hartcher
Opinion
Political leadership
Why Trumpism failed here, despite Morrison giving it a red-hot go
Trumpism wasn’t an Australian outfit; it was an American fashion that we tried on briefly, but shrugged off and left on fitting room floor.
- by Peter Hartcher
Opinion
India
An economic miracle is shifting the global balance of power
India’s physical infrastructure boom is impressive enough, but its digital infrastructure expansion has been stunning in empowering its marginalised millions.
- by Peter Hartcher
Opinion
Home Truths
Scandal has stuck to Morrison, but offshore truths could hit home for Dutton
Recriminations over the conduct of the former Coalition government have mostly centred on Scott Morrison to date. The next inquiry will put Peter Dutton under scrutiny.
- by Peter Hartcher
Opinion
AI
Christopher Nolan said Oppenheimer was a cautionary tale for AI. Was he right?
The logic of mutually assured destruction – as in the case of nuclear weapons – will also be essential to protect us from the self-inflicted dangers of artificial intelligence.
- by Peter Hartcher
Opinion
Globalisation
How to save globalisation from itself? Chalmers has some ideas
Australia has benefited enormously from globalisation. But Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the old models don’t apply as well as they did.
- by Peter Hartcher
Opinion
Foreign relations
Albanese, unlike Keating, believes NATO ties serve Australia’s interests
The global and regional are inseparable, the prime minister argues, and Australian governments need to work at both levels simultaneously.
- by Peter Hartcher