The Catch.

A podcast miniseries about modern slavery and forced labour in the offshore fishing industry in the Asia Pacific Region. 

Episode 1: Recruitment

Host: Dr Bec Strating (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia)

Guest: Dr Sallie Yea (Tracey Banivanua Mar Fellow, La Trobe University)

Produced by La Trobe Asia.

The Catch

Recruitment

The Catch.

A podcast miniseries about modern slavery and forced labour in the offshore fishing industry in the Asia Pacific Region. 

Episode 2: In Too Deep

Host: Dr Bec Strating (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia)

Guest: Dr Sallie Yea (Tracey Banivanua Mar Fellow, La Trobe University)

Produced by La Trobe Asia.

In Too Deep

The Catch.

A podcast miniseries about modern slavery and forced labour in the offshore fishing industry in the Asia Pacific Region.

Episode 3: Restitution

Host: Dr Bec Strating (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia)

Guest: Dr Sallie Yea (Tracey Banivanua Mar Fellow, La Trobe University)

Produced by La Trobe Asia.

Restitution

The Catch.

A podcast miniseries about modern slavery and forced labour in the offshore fishing industry in the Asia Pacific Region.

Episode 4: Reintegration.

Host: Dr Bec Strating (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia)

Guest: Associate Professor Christina Stringer (Centre for Research on Modern Slavery, University of Auckland)

Produced by La Trobe Asia.

Reintegration

The Catch.

A podcast miniseries about modern slavery and forced labour in the offshore fishing industry in the Asia Pacific Region. 

Episode 6: Victim's Voices

Host: Dr Bec Strating (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia)

Guest: Dr Sallie Yea (Tracey Banivanua Mar Fellow, La Trobe University)
Produced by La Trobe Asia.

Victim's Voices

What pressures will the Russian invasion of Ukraine put on Asia? How will China recover post-covid? Will the Quad and AUKUS change power dynamics in the region?

To celebrate the 200th episode of Asia Rising, a special recording to discuss the news, views and general happenings of Asian states and societies in 2023.

Guests:
Professor Nick Bisley (Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University)
Assoc. Professor Bec Strating (Director, La Trobe Asia)

Recorded 13 February, 2023.

Asia Rising

The State of Asia in 2023

Along the coast of Hakata Bay in Fukuoka, Japan there is a 13th century wall, built by the local Samurai as defense against a Mongol invasion.

Guest: Associate Professor Andrew Hall (Asian Studies, Kyushu University)

Recorded 17 April, 2023.

How Japan Kept the Mongols Out

There has long been an associated benefit between sport and learning, as it develops communication, social and psychological benefits. In the context of India, it could be used as an active part of the curriculum, to encourage activity-based learning initiatives and improve the quality of school education.

The prospect comes with challenges – India is a populous country, multilinguistic and culturally diverse. However, India is a sport loving nation, and sport has important roles to play in Indian society. This creates an opportunity for India to use sport as a tool to engage children and adults for increased social participation, livelihoods, development and community connections.

A La Trobe Asia / Australia India Institute Event

Panel:
Dr Biju Philip (La Trobe Business School, La Trobe University)
The Hon. Lisa Singh (CEO, Australia India Institute)
Mr David Hussey (Head of Male Cricket, Cricket Victoria)
Dr Greg Dingle (La Trobe Business School, La Trobe University)

Chair:
Associate Professor Bec Strating (Director, La Trobe Asia)

Recorded on 28 July, 2023.

School sport for development in India

In the past few years India's right-wing ruling BJP party has made efforts to change curriculum and censor textbooks in an attempt to deprioritise history that doesn't amplify their narrative - in particular centuries of India's Mughal history.

Host: Dr Ruth Gamble (Senior Lecturer and DECRA Fellow, Archaeology and History, La Trobe University)
Guest: Divya Rama Gopalakrishnan (History, La Trobe University)

Recorded 7th July, 2023.

The Politics of Indian History

China’s activities in the Pacific have been the subject of increased media attention in Australia. Its vast resources exercised through trade and investment has bought both good will and influence, and a recent agreement with the Solomon Islands on policing cooperation intensified concern among Australian security watchers about its strategic ambitions in the Pacific region. 

But while Australia is showing concern, is China benefitting the Pacific Islands, and exposing the gaps in Australia’s support?

The Melbourne launch of Divided Isles: Solomon Islands and the China Switch by Edward Cavanough. Published by La Trobe University Press.

Panel: 
Edward Cavanough (CEO, The McKell Institute)
Dr Dan Hu (Research Fellow, Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies, University of Melbourne)
Assoc Prof Bec Strating (Director, La Trobe Asia)

Australia, China and the Pacific Region

In 2020 China’s top legislature unanimously passed a new national security law for Hong Kong. Entered into force the same day. Vague and broad in its remit, it applies to everyone who is deemed a risk to national security, and has had wide implications to freedom and protest in Hong Kong, how the justice system works and how law can be applied.

Guest: Dr Karen Lee (Senior lecturer, La Trobe Law School, La Trobe University)

Recorded 5th September, 2023.

Hong Kong's Changing Judicial System

Sarnath, in Uttar Pradesh, India, is the site of where Buddha delivered his first sermon, and a significant stop on the Buddhist pilgrimage trail. But long since overshadowed by local Hindu sites, it remains underdeveloped.

Guest: Dr Kiran Shinde (Urban Planning, La Trobe University)

Sarnath and the Tourism of Buddha

With its densely populated cities, low-lying islands, and melting glaciers, Asia is a region vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Extreme heat, weather disasters and the rising sea level could lead to mass flooding, landslides and drought, impacting millions.

While governments across developing Asia have made ambitious climate pledges, there remains substantial scope for expansion, and the region stands to gain many benefits from decisive action. How is climate change going to affect the region in the decade to come? What efforts are being made to increase regional climate resilience? What is Australia’s role in preserving its own regional environment and assisting its neighbours?
Panel:

 - Ambika Vishwanath (Co-Founder & Director, Kubernein Initiative)
 - Professor Lauren Rickards (Director, La Trobe Climate Change Adaptation Lab, La Trobe University)
 - Dr Ruth Gamble (Senior Lecturer & DECRA Fellow, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University)
 - Associate Professor Bec Strating (Director, La Trobe Asia) (Chair)

Held on 25 November, 2023.

Climate Resilience in Asia

India has a population of 1.4 billion to support, and there is one basic commodity that every one of those citizens needs: water. But with only 4% of the world’s fresh water resources and demands of industry and agriculture to contend with,  it is fair to assume that clean, usable water is going to be in high demand.

Guest: Ambika Vishwanath (Co-founder of the Kubernein Initiative)

Recorded on 24 November, 2024.

Water Security in India

The United Nations has long been seen as an organisation of international cooperation, and every country tries to use it to legitimise their actions and views on a global stage. Perhaps none is more successful than this and influential than China.

Guest: Assoc. Professor Courtney Fung (Security Studies & Criminology, Macquarie University and Scholar in residence, Asia Society Australia).

Recorded on 7th December, 2023.

How China Influences the U.N.

In the decade since Xi Jinping became China's top leader, he has centralised decision-making powers, encouraged a cult of personality around himself, and moved toward indefinite rule by scrapping presidential term limits--stirring fears of a return to a Mao-style dictatorship.

Today the influence of China and Xi Jinping are felt around the world, challenging Western pre-eminence in global affairs and casting its authoritarian system as a model of governance worthy of international emulation.

Guest: Chun Han Wong of (Journalist, Wall Street Journal and author of Party of One: The Rise of Xi Jinping and China's Superpower Future)

Recorded on 1st December, 2023.

Xi Jinping and the Future of China

Taiwan has held a presidential election, and the Democratic Progressive Party has won a third term, with current vice-president Lai Chinge-Te succeeding Tsai Ing-Wen later this year. And while his victory is seen as one of continuing democratic values on the island, Lai will need to rely on his political opponents to govern, and that’s without mentioning the China-sized problem across the Taiwan strait.

Guest: Professor Bec Strating (Director, La Trobe Asia, La Trobe University)

Recorded on 29th January, 2024.

What Taiwan's Election Means for the World

The maritime region is becoming increasingly contested, particularly in Southeast Asia. From tensions rising in the South China Sea, grey zone issues, challenges to international law, and environmental issues such as sea level rise and overfishing, maritime security is important for Indo-Pacific security.

  As Melbourne hosts the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, this event will provide insights into maritime security issues in Australia and Southeast Asia and explore opportunities for collaboration and cooperation.

Speakers:

• Dr Chiew-Ping Hoo (Senior Fellow, East Asian International Relations Caucus)
• Dr Ruji Auethavornpipat (Lecturer, La Trobe University)
• Jennifer Parker (Expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University)
• Professor Bec Strating (Director, La Trobe Asia)
• Melissa Conley Tyler (chair) (Executive Director, Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue (AP4D))

Held on 6 March, 2024.

Contested Waters: Maritime Security in Southeast Asia

La Trobe Asia is proud to partner with the Australian Government to deliver the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit: Maritime Cooperation Forum. The Forum will address the Blue Economy and maritime cooperation, as well as perspectives on regional maritime challenges and opportunities.

This special keynote address is delivered by Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australia, and the Honourable Enrique A. Manalo, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines.

It was introduced by convenor Professor Bec Strating, Director of La Trobe Asia.

Held on 4th March, 2024.

2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit - Keynote address from Penny Wong and Enrique Manalo

Indonesia has had a national election, and the likely next president is Prabowo Subianto, a leader with a checkered past. Prabowo served as Jokowi’s defense minister and gained his backing for this election, even naming Jokowi’s son as his VP running mate.

Given his background, there are many who are carefully watching the decisions he will make in foreign affairs.

Guest: Dr Lina Alexandra (Head of International Relations at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) based in Jakarta).

Recorded 6th March, 2024.

Prabowo, Indonesia and Foreign Policy

North Korea is an isolated and secretive country, long restricted by sanctions, and getting an accurate picture of its economy can be a challenge. So what can we know about its economic condition? 

Guest: Dr Chiew Ping Hoo (Senior Fellow, East Asia and International Relations (EAIR) Caucus, Malaysia)

Recorded 6th March, 2024.

The Economics of North Korea

Oceans are an important resource for every country and are essential for travel and trade, but there are several critical issues facing maritime order in Asia. 

A lack of a shared vision, differing interpretations of maritime order, and cooperation over security issues all create friction for use of shared waterways across Asia, which makes fair and equitable access vital. How can Asian states and allies strengthen dialogue, interactions, and coordination to maximise the impact of their efforts in upholding regional and maritime order?

Speakers:
- Professor Bec Strating (Director, La Trobe Asia)
- Professor Alessio Patalano (Department of War Studies, Kings College London)
- Professor Kyoko Hatakeyama (Graduate School of International Studies and Regional Development, University of Niigata Prefecture)
- Professor Nick Bisley (Chair) (Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University)
- With an introduction from La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Theo Farrell.

The launch of Issue 10 of the La Trobe Asia Brief.

Event recorded on 11 April, 2024.

This public panel will present research from a collaborative project between La Trobe Asia, Kyushu University and King’s College London. It has received grant funding from the Australia-Japan Foundation of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office.

Enhancing Global and Regional Maritime Order

In 2021 a new alliance between the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom was announced. Dubbed the AUKUS agreement, the centrepiece of the plan was for the United States to build Australia new nuclear submarines, to replace its aging fleet. Now almost three years later, the plan has evolved, and with it, inevitably has the budget expectations and the criticisms.

Guest: Professor Peter Dean (Director of Foreign Policy and Defence, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney)

Recorded 28th March, 2024.

Is AUKUS a Good Deal For Australia?

In 2004 Indonesia enacted the Anti-Domestic Violence Law in what has been widely acknowledged as a progressive move, and a major achievement for the women’s rights groups who advocated for it.

Despite the law being in effect for 20 years, domestic violence in Indonesia remains a persistent issue.

Guest: Dr Balawyn Jones (Lecturer and Bendigo Law Convenor, La Trobe Law School, La Trobe University).

Recorded on 1st March, 2024.

Domestic Violence in Indonesia

Australia has drawn closer to many of its Asia-Pacific neighbours in recent years, but 'when push comes to shove, it continues to look well beyond the oceans and regions that surround it to the distant horizons of Europe and North America for its ultimate security guarantee'.

In Girt by Sea, international-relations experts Rebecca Strating and Joanne Wallis instead turn their gazes to Australia's near region, focusing on the six maritime domains central to its national interests: the north seas (the Timor, Arafura and Coral Seas and the Torres Strait), the Western Pacific, the South China Sea, the South Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean.

In so doing, they reimagine how Australia should understand its strategic challenges and find lasting security.

Speakers:
- Bec Strating (Professor of International Relations, La Trobe University, Director of La Trobe Asia)
- Joanne Wallis (Professor of International Security, University of Adelaide)
- Ali Moore (ABC Radio 774)

Held on 15th May, 2024 at Readings Bookshop, Carlton.

Book Launch: Girt by Sea: Reimagining Australia's Security

Slavery remains a problem in many countries across Asia, and the understanding of what makes a person vulnerable to this kind of exploitation  continues to evolve. When it comes to disability, the links are less understood, and more research is needed to understand the barriers survivors with disabilities face when accessing remedies, justice and support.

The report: 
Exploring the intersection between disability and trafficking in persons
https://www.aseanact.org/resources/tip-disability/

Guest: Dr Elisabeth Jackson (Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Human Security and Social Change, La Trobe University).

Recorded on 13th May, 2024.

Disability and Slavery in Asia

There’s a theory that’s discussed in many circles of international relations: have we reached peak China? In a post-pandemic age in which it is struggling with development, confronted with an aging population, and a slowing economy, is China on the decline?

Guest: Professor Evan Medeiros (Penner Family Chair in Asian Studies, Georgetown University)

Recorded 28th May, 2024.

Has China Reached its Peak?

India is a country that can overload the senses. One of the most striking features a visitor can notice is the country's seemingly endemic problem with rubbish and pollution.

Professor Robin Jeffrey (Emeritus, La Trobe University) talks to Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) the extent of India's problem with waste, the cultural attitude towards sanitation, and Modi's plan to clean up India.

Follow Nick Bisley on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nickbisley

Theme music: Asian Wonders by Butterfly Tea
Photo:  Dominic Lüdin

India and Waste

When talking about Chinese international politics, the loudest voices are often western ones, and the Chinese perspective is limited to official party lines.

In a rare interview, Professor Zhu Feng gives his thoughts on the US/China trade war, the South China Sea, China relations with Australia, and China's activity in the South Pacific.

Guest: Professor Zhu Feng (Executive Director, China Center for Collaborative Studies of the South China Sea, Nanjing University)
Interviewer: Dr Euan Graham (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia)
Producer: Matt Smith

Follow Euan Graham on Twitter: www.twitter.com/graham_euan
Follow La Trobe Asia on Twitter: www.twitter.com/latrobeasia

Theme music: Asian Wonders by Butterfly Tea

A Chinese Scholar on China

The relationship with China is of critical importance to Australia. It is also increasingly complex, being influenced by economics, domestic factors and strategic forces.

Yet it is a relationship with underlying tension. China and Australia sometimes find themselves on different sides of the table in some bilateral issues, and disagreements over foreign investment in Australia, influence, and the interests of allied countries might prevent further successful co-operation or interaction.

This panel discusses the key challenges and opportunities confronting the bilateral relationship of China and Australia.

Panellists:
Professor Nick Bisley (Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University)
Dr Dan Hu (Deputy Director, Australian Studies Centre, Beijing Foreign Studies University)
Rowan Callick (Journalist, author, advisory board member of La Trobe Asia)
Professor John Fitzgerald (Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University of Technology)
Dr Euan Graham (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia, La Trobe University)(Chair)

The Launch of Issue 2 of the La Trobe Asia Brief: Australia-China Relations: Finding the Elusive Balance.

Australia-China Relations: Finding the Elusive Balance

Asia Rising, the podcast of La Trobe Asia which takes a critical look at the key issues facing Asia's states and societies.

Asia Rising

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