For Australia to be perceived as a significant player in international affairs, it must start thinking of itself as one.

Paula Hanasz goes with the flow of Himalayan rivers as they pass through Nepal, India and on to Bangladesh before releasing into the Bay of Bengal. She illustrates how water affects the lives of ordinary people in South Asia through linkages and trade-offs with food, energy and the environment. This post can also be viewed as a gallery here.

California's drought means the Colorado River is under pressure, bringing challenges for food, energy and water policy.

How the Australian Government sees itself is increasingly different from how it's seen by the electorate, writes John Hewson.

Does 'casualty cringe' affect Australian defence policy?

Are the country's policy settings right to encourage investment?