What will a new, softer Quad mean for Australia?
The busy agenda flowing from the mini-Quad meeting in Hiroshima is not going to change the world, as Biden declared. It may be more of a smokescreen, disguising the Quad’s evolution toward a less China-confronting, less defence-oriented mission. Australia needs to catch up with this – and hedge our strategic investments. The Quad deserves continuing support – but it is best to be realistic, writes Milner.