Dr. David MicklerSchool of Social and Political Sciences

Security Issues and

Australian Foreign Policy

National security

National security is central to any government’s foreign policy objectives …

“The first priority of government is the nation’s security”

(PM Rudd 2008)

= protection of population, territory, resources, infrastructure, way of life, from external (and internal) threats in ‘anarchical’ international environment.

Major themes in Australia’s security

• Australia’s geo-strategic ‘isolation’: ‘geography vs history’ (security)

• Asia as historical source of insecurity

• Need for ‘great and powerful friends’

• Globalisation and ‘new’ security threats

In the past …

• Defense against military attack by another state the primary concern

• Security via British Empire until WWII

• Shift to military alliance with USA: ANZUS Treaty 1951

• Cold War: tied to US global anti-communist security agenda

Approaches to Australian defence

(1) Forward defence: make contribution as ‘junior partner’ to the overseas wars of allies (as ‘insurance policy’). Global focus.

(2) Continental defence: focus on defending Australian mainland from local threats. Regional focus.

Contemporary global security environment

• Less actual or potential traditional wars between states

• Concerns about intra-state conflict and risks from ‘failed states’

• Globalisation and transnational security threats

‘New’ security issues for Australian gov’t

• Transnational terrorism

• Proliferation of WMD (+ terrorism)

• Transnational organised crime

• Global health pandemics

• Climate change

Australian gov’t foreign policy responses

• Tighten border security

• Forward defence: Iraq & Afghanistan

• Intervention in regional ‘arc of instability’: East Timor & Solomon Islands

• International cooperation (global, regional, bilateral)

Key questions …

• US alliance: enhance or undermine Australian national security? Defence self-reliance?

• Impact of rise of China and India on international (& Australia’s) security?

• Security focus: regional or global?

• How to manage inter-dependent security in a globalised world?

© Copyright The University of Melbourne 2008