I’ve been following the Hormuz situation pretty closely over the past few weeks, and honestly, the more I read about it, the more I find myself thinking about leadership — specifically what good leadership actually looks like when things get genuinely difficult.

The news that Japan is going to maintain normal fuel supply to Australia, and that Prime Minister Takaichi is potentially visiting, is quietly significant. It doesn’t have the drama of a military announcement or the viral punch of a political brawl, but it matters. A lot. And the way it came together — through methodical diplomatic legwork with Japan, South Korea, and Singapore — is the kind of thing that rarely gets the credit it deserves because it doesn’t make for exciting television.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Cathy Wilcox’s recent cartoon showing politicians stuck “down in the sensible centre” on climate policy, and the heated discussion it’s sparked online. The image perfectly captures something that’s been gnawing at me for months - this idea that somehow threading the needle between climate action and economic pragmatism is the mature, responsible position.

The thing is, I get it. I really do. Politics is messy, compromise is necessary, and bulldozing through unpopular policies is a great way to hand power back to people who’ll actively make things worse. But when I see Albanese approving new coal and gas projects while simultaneously talking about Australia’s renewable energy future, something doesn’t add up. It’s like watching someone put out a house fire with one hand while pouring petrol on it with the other.