Dr Denis Blight
@drdgblight-123.bsky.social
PhD in chemistry, Australian diplomat, aid administrator, CEO IDP education & CAB International, founder ACIAR & IELTS partnership, Visiting Fellow ANU School of History. Interests: domestic impacts on foreign policy, global food security & peace.
insidestory.org.au/pacific-head...
Blustery headwinds with much huff and puff: well meaning but rambling selectively.
Blustery headwinds with much huff and puff: well meaning but rambling selectively.
Headwinds blow in from the Pacific • Hamish McDonald
A muddled year in the region for Labor ends with the Pacific affairs minister disagreeing with his own government
insidestory.org.au
December 3, 2025 at 7:12 AM
insidestory.org.au/pacific-head...
Blustery headwinds with much huff and puff: well meaning but rambling selectively.
Blustery headwinds with much huff and puff: well meaning but rambling selectively.
johnmenadue.com/post/2025/11... %26 Irritations
Working with PM Fraser - parting words - Part 5 - Malcolm Fraser
John Menadue stayed on as the most senior public servant in the land, after the trauma of the Dismissal. In this five-part series he details what life was like working with PM Fraser. Given his closen...
johnmenadue.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:12 AM
johnmenadue.com/post/2025/11... %26 Irritations
I note Prime Minister Albanese’s references to the ‘economic miracle’ in China that has pulled 100’s of millions out of poverty. But seems have omitted reference to the single most important policy that contributed to this miracle: investment in agricultural research that delivered HYV of grains
July 16, 2025 at 3:23 AM
I note Prime Minister Albanese’s references to the ‘economic miracle’ in China that has pulled 100’s of millions out of poverty. But seems have omitted reference to the single most important policy that contributed to this miracle: investment in agricultural research that delivered HYV of grains
theconversation.com/turkey-is-st...
Australian international educators and policy makers might have much to learn from Türkiye as it steps up it influence in Africa. Having served as an Australian diplomat in Turkey and Africa and as an international educator I found this piece of great interest.
Australian international educators and policy makers might have much to learn from Türkiye as it steps up it influence in Africa. Having served as an Australian diplomat in Turkey and Africa and as an international educator I found this piece of great interest.
Turkey is stepping up its influence in west Africa – what’s behind its bid for soft power
Although symbolically visible in some places across the continent, Turkey’s presence remains a work in progress.
theconversation.com
June 28, 2025 at 5:45 AM
theconversation.com/turkey-is-st...
Australian international educators and policy makers might have much to learn from Türkiye as it steps up it influence in Africa. Having served as an Australian diplomat in Turkey and Africa and as an international educator I found this piece of great interest.
Australian international educators and policy makers might have much to learn from Türkiye as it steps up it influence in Africa. Having served as an Australian diplomat in Turkey and Africa and as an international educator I found this piece of great interest.
After the 2025 election: Energy transition and restoration of Australian growth johnmenadue.com/post/2025/05...
After the 2025 election: Energy transition and restoration of Australian growth
An historic election Australia has had insecure governments looking over their shoulders at political threat for one and a half decades. None of the Gillard, Abbott, Turnbull, Morrison and first term...
johnmenadue.com
May 14, 2025 at 1:56 AM
After the 2025 election: Energy transition and restoration of Australian growth johnmenadue.com/post/2025/05...
I note a measure of interest in my views on international student enrolments in Australian universities and colleges: the more high quality applicants the better, provided markets and governments respond to pressures on housing, transport and infrastructure.
May 13, 2025 at 2:56 AM
I note a measure of interest in my views on international student enrolments in Australian universities and colleges: the more high quality applicants the better, provided markets and governments respond to pressures on housing, transport and infrastructure.
Reposted by Dr Denis Blight
Kind hearts are the gardens,
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the flowers,
Kind deeds are the fruits.
Take care of your garden,
and keep out the weeds.
Fill it with sunshine,
kind words and kind deeds.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the flowers,
Kind deeds are the fruits.
Take care of your garden,
and keep out the weeds.
Fill it with sunshine,
kind words and kind deeds.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
December 10, 2024 at 7:11 AM
Kind hearts are the gardens,
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the flowers,
Kind deeds are the fruits.
Take care of your garden,
and keep out the weeds.
Fill it with sunshine,
kind words and kind deeds.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the flowers,
Kind deeds are the fruits.
Take care of your garden,
and keep out the weeds.
Fill it with sunshine,
kind words and kind deeds.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Reposted by Dr Denis Blight
Israeli forces have released images of a large number of its combat tanks, armoured vehicles and heavily armed soldiers storming the Beit Hanoon area in northern Gaza once again.
🔴 LIVE updates ⤵️ aje.io/ojrpnn
🔴 LIVE updates ⤵️ aje.io/ojrpnn
Israeli army burns north Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital after ‘barbaric’ raid
Gaza’s Health Ministry calls on international community to stop Israel’s destruction after troops torch hospital.
aje.io
December 28, 2024 at 9:22 AM
Israeli forces have released images of a large number of its combat tanks, armoured vehicles and heavily armed soldiers storming the Beit Hanoon area in northern Gaza once again.
🔴 LIVE updates ⤵️ aje.io/ojrpnn
🔴 LIVE updates ⤵️ aje.io/ojrpnn
Are there any international educators out there interested in a discussion about a more professional approach by providers - in Australia, Canada, the US and Britain and their agencies - that will make intrusive government intervention to manage the industry redundant?
December 22, 2024 at 10:54 AM
Are there any international educators out there interested in a discussion about a more professional approach by providers - in Australia, Canada, the US and Britain and their agencies - that will make intrusive government intervention to manage the industry redundant?
www.linkedin.com/posts/louise... Respected international education commentator Louise Nicol claims that the current fiasco over caps etc. could have been avoided if post study work rights which facilitated change of visa status claims had not been introduced by major receiving countries.
Louise Nicol on LinkedIn: Three UK universities put on student visa ‘action plans’
We are sure these four institutions (three in #England & one in #Scotland) have done their upmost in terms of compliance & will be reinstated. That said we…
www.linkedin.com
December 21, 2024 at 11:18 AM
www.linkedin.com/posts/louise... Respected international education commentator Louise Nicol claims that the current fiasco over caps etc. could have been avoided if post study work rights which facilitated change of visa status claims had not been introduced by major receiving countries.
www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/ly1buq...
British Universities suffer sustainability problems.
British Universities suffer sustainability problems.
www.officeforstudents.org.uk
December 20, 2024 at 7:50 AM
www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/ly1buq...
British Universities suffer sustainability problems.
British Universities suffer sustainability problems.
theconversation.com/internationa...
But will it work? Probably at the margins especially for regional and smaller universities and colleges. But further complicating regulation may be required unless peak bodies encourage cohesion amongst institutions.
But will it work? Probably at the margins especially for regional and smaller universities and colleges. But further complicating regulation may be required unless peak bodies encourage cohesion amongst institutions.
International student numbers in Australia will be controlled by a new informal cap. Here’s how it will work
Immigration officials will manage student visa applications using a “prioritisation threshold”. Here’s what that means for international students, universities, private colleges and TAFEs.
theconversation.com
December 20, 2024 at 1:08 AM
theconversation.com/internationa...
But will it work? Probably at the margins especially for regional and smaller universities and colleges. But further complicating regulation may be required unless peak bodies encourage cohesion amongst institutions.
But will it work? Probably at the margins especially for regional and smaller universities and colleges. But further complicating regulation may be required unless peak bodies encourage cohesion amongst institutions.
Reposted by Dr Denis Blight
Treasury again missed its forecast for net migration by a long way. Can it be sensible to continue to put responsibility for forecasting net migration in Treasury & responsibility for delivery in Immigration?
Why Treasury’s net migration forecast for 2023-24 blew out
With Treasury's net migration forecast being vastly inaccurate, Dr Abul Rizvi analyses how and why the department missed the mark in its assessment.
independentaustralia.net
December 16, 2024 at 5:22 AM
Treasury again missed its forecast for net migration by a long way. Can it be sensible to continue to put responsibility for forecasting net migration in Treasury & responsibility for delivery in Immigration?
Reposted by Dr Denis Blight
This sign in Thailand
December 5, 2024 at 6:34 PM
This sign in Thailand
Reposted by Dr Denis Blight
BREAKING: California Governor Gavin Newsom asks his state legislature for a staggering $25 million to fund legal fights with the incoming Trump administration.
The fund will defend disaster relief, health care, reproductive access, and civil rights.
Like and share to stand with Governor Newsom!
The fund will defend disaster relief, health care, reproductive access, and civil rights.
Like and share to stand with Governor Newsom!
December 3, 2024 at 6:59 PM
BREAKING: California Governor Gavin Newsom asks his state legislature for a staggering $25 million to fund legal fights with the incoming Trump administration.
The fund will defend disaster relief, health care, reproductive access, and civil rights.
Like and share to stand with Governor Newsom!
The fund will defend disaster relief, health care, reproductive access, and civil rights.
Like and share to stand with Governor Newsom!
The kerfuffle over international students & net overseas migration reflects a failure of practice by universities & colleges & of policy by governments. In my view, the more genuine international students the better: a policy & practice challenge for institutions & governments.
November 22, 2024 at 11:37 PM
The kerfuffle over international students & net overseas migration reflects a failure of practice by universities & colleges & of policy by governments. In my view, the more genuine international students the better: a policy & practice challenge for institutions & governments.