Emma Shortis
@EmmaShortis
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Senior Researcher in International and Security Affairs @TheAusInstitute , focused on the US. Adjunct Senior Research Fellow @RMIT . Podcast: After America.
Melbourne, Victoria
Joined June 2012
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Pinned Tweet
Oh hey I’m doing a podcast!
Can Biden recover from a disastrous debate?
On the 1st episode of After America,
@EmmaShortis
reflects on Trump's debate lies and the release of Assange.
Plus:
@NickBryantNY
joins the show to discuss his new book, The Forever War.
Subscribe now
#auspol
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And the only person prosecuted over war crimes was a whistleblower. Way to go, Labor. Nailing it.
The only people to have been prosecuted over Robodebt are welfare recipients
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“freedom seeds” is a phrase that is never ever leaving my head. It’s just one fresh horror after the next
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Totally fine and normal in a democracy to find out about things we’re signing up for via the other party to the agreement and not, you know, our own democratically elected government. Nothing suss.
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It’s official! Heading home after my first week with the loveliest and best colleagues
@TheAusInstitute
, where I’m now Senior Researcher in the International and Security Affairs Program with
@Mirandaprorsus
. Delighted doesn’t even begin to cover it!
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May have been told by the defence manel after mine at this conference that criticizing American power is “bollocks” and that the “shrieking classes” have no right to comment, but I’ve got my good earrings on and I’m happy to say I’m back on my bullshit this morning 💙
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“Today, Harris feels she doesn’t need journalists at all, and a lot of the public is cheering her on. And a vainglorious elite news media with severe tunnel vision has no one to blame but themselves.”
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So we’re just going nuclear. That’s it. No consultation, no nothing. How good is democracy.
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Pushback is getting stronger. Not nearly enough, obviously, but it seems to be building.
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He told us he was going to do this. Explicitly. It is not a surprise.
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I wrote about Australian complicity with Trumpism, and why we should examine our own role in what’s happening in the US.
There's a lot of blame to go around for the chaos in the Capitol, but some belongs to Australia
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Media coverage seems so desperate to run the “Republicans turn against Trump” line? I know why, but 10 out of 211 just doesn’t fit that narrative.
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So, just to be clear: in this excellent deal for some submarines we may or may not get, Australia is paying the US $4.45 billion *and* planning a "low-level radioactive waste management" facility for waste from UK & US subs (i.e. not even ours). Great!
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Here’s the article I spoke to
@LisaMillar
and
@mjrowland68
about on
@BreakfastNews
this morning. It’s not a new idea—some observers have been saying this for a while—but it’s increasingly mainstream.
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Twitter, meet Vivian Lee Jeffery, who joined us a week ago today. Everyone is doing well, especially her legend of a big sister Clara. And yes, in case you were wondering, the big legend in my life let me name her in honour of Robert James Lee Hawke. xx
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Pretty embarrassing that the US has a *better* supermarket situation than we do. If that’s not an indictment, I don’t know what is
#4Corners
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In a surprising twist, I too have written about the ANZUS Treaty on its 70th Anniversary, for
@ConversationEDU
.
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Really pleased to share my first piece for
@TheAusInstitute
. I look at Australia’s muted reaction to the release of nuclear wastewater into the largest ocean on Earth, and the way this country repeatedly and deliberately fails “our Pacific family”.
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I forgot to take a proper unboxing photo because I’m a bit of a dope. But my book is real! And it’s out in less than two weeks. Viv is *pumped*.
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Please, I'm begging you, stop deploying the "growing threat posed by China" line so uncritically
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Twitter fam, if I said Australian foreign and security policy was based on understandings of our region drawn directly from “Tomorrow When The War Began”, would you know what I mean? Or am I being too millennial?
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EXCUSE ME did BT just describe “General Lee” as “trying to unite the United States after the Civil War”?? Someone please commission an essay from me on this immediately
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Big crowd on Saturday morning in Melbourne for
#nightfalls
conference in support of Julian Assange.
#FreeJulianAssange
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It has been an absolute storm the last few days, so while I have a moment I would just like to shout out to my people, who have held me together—and especially this little legend, who is ONE tomorrow. Here we are prepping for
@ABCthedrum
tonight! (And thank you
@_GhadaAli_
📸)
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All these people apologising for bothering me on a public holiday—I am in Melbourne, and time means nothing. Bother away!
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Feel like I’m beating a dead horse here but for real what are we gonna do if literal Nazis take over our most important security ally
“… a group of Nazis who openly identified as national socialists mingled with mainstream conservative personalities...”
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This is where I live now. On ABC TV shortly after the Trump speech.
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Part of the reason Australian foreign policy is such a heinous and dangerous mess is precisely because a self-selecting group of arrogant white blokes dominate the space and are so certain they’re right about *everything*.
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Wrote about Julian Assange and the alliance, and how the Australian delegation to DC might help to challenge this government’s craven support for American power.
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Losing my mind over this freak out. The whole point is that he will *not* be the leader of the “free” world and it is GOOD and RIGHT that the Australian Ambassador calls out the direct threat Trump poses to our “shared value” of democracy. It’s BAD if Trump likes you omgggggggg
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One day, I think it would be good to have a conversation about how the overwhelming majority of commentary on the United States in Australia is just old rich white men with IR/Pol Sci degrees talking to each other.
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As the third anniversary of Jan 6 approaches, I wrote about the PM’s polite meeting with one of its architects and why we shouldn’t make friends with fascists.
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I still can’t quite believe it, but apparently this is really real. I did it. It’s done.
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Hello new followers! Thanks for reading my article, and for all of the comments. It has clearly hit a nerve, and I wanted to reflect on some of the “feedback” that’s come through, directly and not-so-directly (yes I’ve seen it).
In a surprising twist, I too have written about the ANZUS Treaty on its 70th Anniversary, for
@ConversationEDU
.
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Me: sure! I’d love to review that book! When do you need it? In a month? That’s heaps of time!
<approximately 29 days later>
Me: shit
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Was lucky enough to speak to Don Watson on the podcast this week! We covered so much, including his thoughts on AUKUS...
"I cannot see the logic of AUKUS at all."
"How we can commit so much money to a really doubtful operation, I don't know."
Don Watson joins After America to discuss political violence, America’s deep divisions & the US-Australia relationship.
#auspol
@EmmaShortis
@BlackIncBooks
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Thrilled to finally share this news!
Deal news! It was a delight to work with
@emmashortis
on a proposal for a book about the OZ-US relationship - so great to now announce that "Our Exceptional Friend: Australia's Fatal Alliance with the US" will be published by
@HardieGrant
this Aug!
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Seeing a lot of “the French deserved it” takes on the TL and once again I am reminded why having a field dominated almost entirely by white men isn’t a problem at all
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“I can’t see how anyone could possibly argue that the re-election of Donald Trump would be good for Australia.”
This week in Barely Gettin’ By,
@DrChlod
and I were very lucky to speak to
@barriecassidy
about the history of the United States in the world.
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Today on
@BreakfastNews
I spoke to
@LisaMillar
&
@mjrowland68
about this front page (!) story. It details how badly the national archives is struggling to maintain its records. That’s already impacting our ability to understand and talk about our history.
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The Morrison government went all in with Trump *from the start*. They *like* him and what he represents. It was never about diplomacy or security. This is who they are. And they will absolutely damage Australia’s relationship with the incoming administration because of it.
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Also, I walked out of the house without shoes on at 0530 this morning and had to climb back through the toilet window so I didn’t have to go on TV barefoot. Things can only go up from here!
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As
@RDNS_TAI
says, budgets are about choices. Here’s one choice: the amount we spend on defence compared to what we spend on diplomacy. Probably worth thinking a bit more about what actually makes us safer.
#Budget2024
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Obviously I am deeply invested in this, but this is absolutely appalling. Who gets to write the “essential reading” at Australia’s most progressive publisher? What a joke.
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It's a very special episode of After America this week! As part of
@TheAusInstitute
's 30th Anniversary celebrations, we were thrilled to host
@TurnbullMalcolm
and
@JosephEStiglitz
for a conversation about the US, AUKUS, and the right-wing media machine.
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Completely unsurprising this morning that all of the major papers went with Melbourne 'Anarchy', as the Herald Sun called it. I spoke about this front page because underneath that story about 'mobs' and 'lawlessness' - a huge banner ad proclaiming 'Freedom Freedom' from the UAP.
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Remembering fondly that time I was asked incredulously by an Australian journo if we could *really* say for sure if Trump was sending a call out to white supremacists when he told the Proud Boys to stand back and stand by
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Bob Hawke and the entire union movement supported boycotts. They aren’t radical, or about “cancelling” people. Do your homework. JFC.
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We had such a great conversation in Sydney last night. As
@TurnbullMalcolm
pointed out - the politics of AUKUS are pretty straightforward. We’re not getting those subs.
"I do not believe we will ever get any nuclear submarines from the Americans.
"The American legislation says before any submarine can be sold to Aus, the US President has to certify that their Navy doesn't need it."
- Hon. Malcolm Turnbull on AUKUS
#auspol
@TurnbullMalcolm
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Make sure you smile when you’re protesting the end of the world, ladies
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TFW you receive a lovely email from the Bush Presidential Library advising that the 26 pages of documents you requested for release in 2013 are now available. For the PhD you submitted in 2019. 🫡
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Wouldn’t it be terrible if Australia’s international reputation was damaged
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Hello, I work 4 days a week because I have small kids. I should also be able to afford a house. As should anyone else (predominately women!) who isn’t able to work full-time.
Australians who work-full time should be able to afford a house or cover the rent. We need to tackle housing affordability.
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It’s not quite finished yet but heckin HECK I just sent off my full manuscript with all track changes accepted and think I’ve earned this little lie down on the floor
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The State Dinner didn't get a whole lot of attention in the US, unsurprisingly, but here's how the Washington Post vibed it: "Australia needed a hug."
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My 4yo just wrote me a story: “flowers may bloom again but people don’t have a chance to be young again”.
Think I’m done for today.
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In today's other news, I have officially made the big time 😍.
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I’m up way too early again looking at today’s papers with ABC News Breakfast. Luckily I have some friendly faces over my shoulder. On at 645 ish.
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Here’s my debate hot take. Harris did what she needed to do. And it got her Taylor.
The Conversation’s expert panel believed Kamala Harris had more to prove – and Donald Trump more to lose – in the debate. Here were the moments that mattered.
@EmmaShortis
@MRicketson
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"The outcome will determine whether the US can seek to extradite any journalist of any nationality, from anywhere with which it has an extradition treaty, for disclosing US war crimes."
@KellieTranter
doing vital work for
@DeclassifiedAus
.
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Increasingly leaning in to my whataboutism. A “secretive security pact”? Because in contrast, AUKUS was an open, democratic process? Oh wait.
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Got through a whole event only to make it to the end and instead of saying “please join me in thanking” I said “please thank me” and now I’m dead
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Back in front of the old credibility bookcase. I’ll be speaking about some stories that caught my eye this morning with
@LisaMillar
and
@mjrowland68
on
@BreakfastNews
shortly!
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Back again! If you need a break from budget content I’m on LNL on Radio National tonight talking US politics and Project 2025 (the smile is a lie, everything is terrible).
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I wrote this way back in 2018, when we first got home from a year in the US. I think it was my way of trying to process how angry I was.
Why is it so hard to enact gun reform in the US, despite mass shootings like last week's in Texas?
American exceptionalism is to blame, says
@RMIT
's
@EmmaShortis
, as she traces the politics of guns through Reagan, Clinton and now Biden.
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Just having a lil lie down on the floor. 10/10 would recommend
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Just to add to the “everything is terrible” pile, I wrote a bit about what it might mean for Australia if American democracy collapses, and why it’s not surprising that there is no plan for that very real possibility.
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I can’t stop thinking about this.
spread the word!
people who have casually taught in the Arts Faculty at Melbourne Uni from 2014-2019, there's now processes for claiming backpay for marking underpayment! there's an NTEU briefing on Friday - register at the link below.
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Love to be lectured on “reality” by someone who assumes that an American presidential administration would never make a decision based on “subjective criteria”.
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I know historians are really annoying with this but this whole it’s “instinctive” for China and Russia to cooperate is some Cold War bullshit that was also bullshit during the actual Cold War
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Here’s me in
@ConversationEDU
on the cracks beneath Biden’s feet, which, even in the hour or so since we hit publish, have already gotten a bit wider.
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My book has a cover! And you can pre-order it! Eek!
Excited to share the cover of
@EmmaShortis
' forthcoming "Our Exceptional Friend – Australia's Fatal Alliance with the United States" – from
@HardieGrant
in August!
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The gallows in Melbourne and then the Rittenhouse verdict. That’s what I mean when I say the relationship between the US and Australia reinforces and perpetuates the worst and most dangerous in both countries’ politics. That’s it.
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And we thought 2023 was exhausting. Strap yourselves in everybody!
BREAKING: The Colorado Supreme Court holds that Trump is disqualified from holding the presidency.
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I legit love it when I make it into Gerard’s lil newsletter.
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Very much looking forward to talking to Hugh White tomorrow about his latest essay in
@AusForeign
- is AUKUS a “grave mistake?” You betcha. Tune in tomorrow to hear why…
Will AUKUS enhance or undermine our security? And will we ever get those submarines?
Tomorrow, 11AM AEDT, join our webinar w/ Prof Hugh White & Dr
@EmmaShortis
for an in-depth discussion following Prof White's essay in
@AusForeign
.
Free, RSVP here >
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I wish I knew the exact answer! But I do not have it all laid out in neat little dot points. And nor should I! Genuine reform of Australian foreign policy *has to* be a collective process, beginning with a collective reckoning within our own racist history.
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I, for one, cannot wait to read all the IR bro takes on Kissinger as grandmaster. Brace yourselves, everybody!
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Well, gross. You’re telling on yourselves. You’re effectively saying that millions of deaths and risking millions more is worth it for a mythological security umbrella for us in our little corner. What I am saying is that it is not worth it and it doesn’t make us or anyone safer.
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Has the Australian government said anything about this yet or nah
The doctor said that the injuries were unlike anything they had seen before:
“It’s transforming 2,000 people into disabled [people] at the same time.”
‘Sophisticated evil’: Beirut medics and civilians horrified by pager attacks.
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@danilic
I reckon it’s massive, Dan! Potential to completely reshape domestic political landscape and Australia’s role and impact in the world. Like, generational shift.
i.e. my considered historical opinion is that it’s fkn huge.
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Sometimes my
@TheAusInstitute
research takes me to unexpected places. Crossing live to
@TheTodayShow
at 0740!
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I wrote my PhD on the campaign to save Antarctica that comes up so often when people are talking about Hawke’s greatest achievements. I think sometimes people are surprised, but that success genuinely is one of the most important legacies he will leave us.
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