Australia’s fortunes are shaped and determined by the political, economic and social forces with the engagement with the Pacific. Australian policies towards the Pacific show a massive measure of continuity with the policies pursued by the conservative Coalition government. The engagement with the Pacific has the impact of proximity and the regional variations with the international policies on Australian policies in relation to neighbouring countries.
Important priority for Australian governments historically, has been Australian’s relations with its ‘near abroad’ countries. Historically, the Australian’s preoccupation with its ‘near abroad’ countries has mainly focused on security concerns in the way the instability might affect Australia itself. Australia’s principal interests in the Pacific had changed little since the first European settlement in the region. Firstly, the islands’ proximity and
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control over maritime approaches to Australia make them strategically sensitive. Secondly, the Pacific islands was used for a source of wealth; from coconut and sugar plantations, trading companies and other industries for consumer goods and provision of development assistance. Lastly, Australian’s humanitarian interest in helping the citizens of the Pacific islands recover from natural disasters and improving the well-being through forms of aid and development assistance. Australia’s engagement with the Pacific is seen as a ‘special responsibility’ of self-interest to serve strategic and commercial imperatives and responds to the expectations of key allies, notably UK and US. The model of foreign policy-making of Australian policies towards the Pacific islands, is drawn to the theory of the subject influences through the international governmental and domestic levels.
The international factors include the geography, population, economy and the structure of international alliances. The interaction shaped by the governmental factors are the characteristics of the political and bureaucratic institutions are responsible for producing policy decisions. Finally, the local levels, the domestic societal interests in foreign policy outcomes from commercial interests to humanitarian and environmental public interests. Australia is more powerful than the largest of the Pacific islands. However, the islands’ reliance to Australia is the trade and aid which makes them particularly vulnerable to Australian foreign policy. New Zealand plays an important role in Australia’s relationship with the Pacific region. Social, political and economic wise, New Zealand has much in common with Australia and shares similar interests in stabling Pacific island
states. The only regional forum was the South Pacific Commission (SPC) was first formed in 1947 by six ‘participating governments’ (Australia, New Zealand, France, Netherlands, UK and US); the main aim was to “restore stability to a region that has experienced the turbulence of the Second World War, to assist in administering their dependent territories and to benefit the people of the Pacific”. Since South Pacific Commission has formed, the total of twenty-two Pacific island countries and territories along with four of the original founders (Netherlands and UK have withdrawn) and its now renamed to “The Pacific Community”. The main ideas were to deliver development assistance, and cooperation in customs and immigration and technical conferences for law officers and cooperation in criminal intelligence. The newly forum emerged into the Pacific island nations lacked a leader’s forum to discuss regional issues and cooperation, and Australia and New Zealand wanted to encourage a key regional body. The first South Pacific Forum meeting took held in 1971 in New Zealand and with the attendance by the seven founding members: Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauru, New Zealand, Tonga and Western Samoa. Over time, the South Pacific Forum had evolved and expanded to include more countries and was again renamed to “The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in 2000. The Forum’s mandate was much more boarder than the SPC, covering regional trade and economic issues, law enforcement and also security. The recently new key parts of the Forum’s agenda were good governance and security issues and among the regional organisations with the Forum with having two developed countries (Australia and New Zealand) as the main founder members, putting Australia in a powerful position to exert influence upon a regional level. Over the last 10 years, Australian focus on the Pacific Island region was to reinforce the concept of supporting democracy, ‘good governance’ and enabling sustainable economic development, and also introducing a new focus on addressing the risk of weaker states failing to govern their territory, which could lead to create a ‘power vacuum’ in creating terrorist or organised crime organisations, putting a security threat to Australia. The ‘Pacific Plan for Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Integration’, simply known as the Pacific Plan, was first introduced at the 2005 Pacific Islands Forum meeting. The Pacific Plan was cast to be ‘a regional response to the challenges to the Pacific island countries face’, the plan was brought to the Forum largely by Australia and New Zealand and was based on four main pillars: good governance, security, sustainable development and economic growth. The attempt was to drive forward the Pacific island response to the Millennium Development Goals, with implementation meant to be taken forward by the members. Australia wants a stable region with Pacific Island nations continue to mature into peaceful and democratic counties with sound economies. The key enablers are seen to be a representative government committed to improve health and education, and maintaining law and order and to inspire external investment in trade and industry and sustainable exploitation of natural resources for the good of the nation and its people. To support these aims, Australia has consistently encouraged ‘good governance’ and economic development in the island nations through the membership of the regional bodies and the increasing bilateral partnerships tailored to the different needs of each nation. The environmental issues are an immediate concern to the Pacific islands, with climate change and sea level rises are at it’s peak and affecting them already. The environmental issues have taken some time for Australia to finally pay attention. In opposition, the Australian Labor party produced a graphically entitled report on “Our Drowning Neighbours’ in 2006, calling for a stronger focus by Australia on the climate change concerns to Pacific Islanders. The Pacific island nations have most significant fishery resources, including globally significant stocks of tuna. However, illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing have estimated to cost the Pacific island nations approximately US$1.7 bullion of lost licensing revenue per year. Australia has agreed with the Pacific island nations to actively support their environmental issues with real measures, including the Pacific Patrol Boat program. The geography side with the engagement with the Pacific is, the Pacific islands are relatively populated, with isolated coastlines and limited policing. The geographic position between Asia and South America potentially makes them attractive places to tranship illegal drugs, with contraband and money flowing in both directions. The UN office regarding on the drugs and crime has reported that fishing vessels, with their legitimate presence at sea and distribution networks, but the lack of supervision on the illegal actions, have been the key enablers with smuggling of drugs, guns and people. Australia’s security interests with the Pacific island have been monitored on the transnational crime, with Australia putting real resources on the ground and seeking to strengthen regional cooperation and structures. The bilateral relations between the aid and trace as Pacific islands are included to be some of the poorest and least developed nations in the world. At risk of the generalisation, its said the Pacific island nations have found it challenging to sustainably exploit their natural resources and to use their resources to further their develop on economies and nations. The pacific islands receive more international aid, on a per capita basis, than any other region of the world. Australia’s contributes more than half of all overseas development assistance to the Pacific island nations. The Pacific Partnerships for Development, unveiled in the ‘Port Moresby Declaration’ was formed in March 2008 was presented as a ‘fundamental rethink of the direction of Australia’s development assistance strategy in the region’, with the incoming Australian government stating that it is ‘committed to be beginning a new era of cooperation with the island nations of the Pacific’, notably the engagement has changed from that of ad conditionality to ‘mutual responsibility’. Australia has consistently encouraged the island nations to organise and liberalise trading arrangements amongst themselves, with Australia, and with the rest of the world. The 1980 South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (SPARTECA) was to obtain the preferential access to the markets of Australia and New Zealand and the island countries reduced over time as Australia and New Zealand concluded similar arrangements with other countries outside the region. The free trade agreements require the removal or reduction of tariff revenues, which are usually replaced with the form of Value Added Tax (VAT); however, the tariffs are easier to collect, target the more affluent as they are largely applied on imported luxury items; whereas the VAT is much more difficult to collect and may widen the net of taxation to all consumer items. To prove the effect, the evidence shows the government will not make up for the loss of tariffs: an IMF study looks into the impact of trade liberation found the imposition of consumption taxes/VAT’s raised only 30% of the revenue previously gained through tariffs. Australia’s engagement with the Pacific played an important role in Australian security thinking, with a stable neighbourhood been seen as critical to Australia’s wider strategic interests; in support of this goal Government policies for the region emphasise security, economic development and the provision of aid. The form of membership of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) has allowed Australia to understand the issues the Pacific Islands are facing and its surrounding neighbours. Australia’s central role in the Pacific region has been complicated by significant and dynamic change in regional geopolitics.
They have juggled power between them and Australia has emerged a powerful and intelligent nation under their leadership.
John Curtin, Prime Minister of Australia from 1941 – 1945, significantly supported the movement towards an Australian-American relationship. In his speech the Task Ahead, he states “Without any inhibitions of any kind, I make it quite clear that Australia looks to America, free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom.” This speech was supported by newspapers around the country, possibly showing bias, but it is unlikely that Curtin's statement had a major influence on the US military strategy. A close alliance between the two countries was inevitable, as they both shared the same goal - to defeat the Japanese (John.curtin.edu.au, n.d.; Australian Geographic, 2012) and control the Pacific. However, the effect of this statement on the Australian people can be seen in the newspapers from the time period. H.R Knickerbocker, states “It is the bounden duty of the U.S. to strain every nerve and every effort to ship to Australia today and tomorrow, every available fighter bomber and masses of army marines and navy” (Fall of Singapore: What it Means to Us, 1942, from nla.gov.au). This statement is a clear example of Australia’s new found reliance on the United States, showing how Australia has become dependent on the U.S providing it with resources and
After evaluating the above factors, it is clear that the partnership between Australia and Japan is of significant importance to both countries. With reference to the Centre for Study of Australian-Asian Relations (1997:152) the future prosperity of Australia will to an increasing extent, be dependent on that of her neighbours in the Asia-Pacific area. Currently the Australia-Japan relationship could be described as “comfortable and relaxed”. However both Australia and Japan need to be alert to the changing environment and must ensure that the right frameworks and policy settings are in place in order for the two countries to prosper.
In 1914, Australia joined the First World War. Although it was seen as a European war, the Australia government decided that Australia should support its 'Mother Country', Britain. The prime-minister at the time, Joseph Cook, stated Australia's position : "Whatever happens, Australia is a part of the Empire, right to the full. When the Empire is at war, Australia is at war." Many Australians objected to the country's involvement in the war, but the majority of the population agreed with the government's decision. Australia joined the war for many reasons, but two main reasons were :
There have been many unanswered questions in Australia about Aboriginal history. One of these is which government policy towards indigenous people has had the largest impact on Indigenous Australians? Through research the Assimilation Policy had the largest impact upon Indigenous Australians and the three supporting arguments to prove this are the Aborigines losing their rights to freedom, Aboriginal children being removed from their families, and finally the loss of aboriginality.
...The fact that Australia publically sought America’s help angered Britain, but it was all that Australia could do seen as Britain let Singapore fall to the Japanese and did not given Australia suitable reinforcements to help with the growing pressure from the Japanese. It is shown throughout the war that the fall of Singapore damaged Australia’s relations with Britain, there are even cable grams of John Curtain telling Elsie Curtain how badly the relations with Britain and that he has a fight with Churchill almost every day (National Archives of Australia). Australia had always felt the threat of invasion in WWII but when Singapore fell it was almost certain. Australia moved further away from Britain when they publicly sought Americas help with the growing threat of a Japanese attack. None of this would have happened if Singapore had remained in British control.
The only time Australia has come under direct attack from another country, was when Japan bombed Darwin and sunk a number of ships in Sydney, during World War 2. The question then has to be asked, why Australia has been involved in so many conflicts. A number of recent conflicts in this century come to mind, they include, The Boer War, World War One, World War Two and The Vietnam War. By far the conflict that drew the most outrage from Australian citizens was the Vietnam War. Australia has been drawn into these conflicts through a number of treaties and alliances made with other countries. Often it is not the conflicts that have drawn most outrage from Australian citizens, rather the insistence of other countries, for Australia to accept large numbers of post-war refugees.
In the nineteenth century, the “History wars” became the fight between the most prominent historians revolving around the deception of frontier conflict between the labor and coalition. The debate aroused from the different interpretations of the violence that took place during the European colonization and to what degree. It became a crisis in history, emerging from the dispossession of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (ATSI) that resulted in exclusion of their traditions and culture. The ATSI were the first people of Australia that brought along a different culture, language, kinship structures and a different way of life (Face the Facts, 2012). Post European colonization was a time where the ATSI people experienced disadvantage in the land they called home. With the paramount role as future educators, it demands proficient knowledge on the Australian history and one of the most influential moments in our history started from the first European settlers.
Indigenous Australians have faced many changes to their original life style, with numerous policies being brought in. These policies had an incredible affect on how the indigenous Australians lived. The policies inflicted on the indigenous Australians varied widely and had numerous impacts. The policies of assimilation, protection and integration had mainly negative impacts on the community, causing loss of identity, language and religion. The policies of self-determination and reconciliation, had mostly positive effects to the indigenous Australian community, creating a stronger bond between black and white Australians, encouraging the concept of closing the gap between indigenous Australians and non-indigenous Australians. These policies had an incredible influence on the indigenous Australians life, changing many ways they lived. The policies changed the path of history for all Australians.
“The Vietnam War remains today to be one of the most memorable and long-standing conflicts in recent history in which the Australia’s involvement has played a huge role. This essay shall discuss and highlight certain points in the course of the development of the Vietnam War, from its impacts of the war on the Australian community and country, the participation Australia had and lastly, what roles did the church play during the war. The controversial Vietnam War had a huge impact on Australian society in the 1960’s/1970’s. It affected all aspects of society, such as the social, economic and political issues. Vietnam was known as a ‘TV War’. A lot of violent and gruesome footage of the war was broadcasted right into people’s homes. People
INTRODUCTION : a brief overview of the current situation regarding the security issue in the Pacific region
Australia has had one of the most outstanding economies of the world in recent years - competitive, open and vibrant. The nation’s high economic performance stems from effective economic management and ongoing structural reform. Australia has a competitive and dynamic private sector and a skilled, flexible workforce. It also has a comprehensive economic policy framework in place. The economy is globally competitive and remains an attractive destination for investment. Australia has a sound, stable and modern institutional structure that provides certainty to businesses. For long time, Australia is a stable democratic country with strong growth, low inflation and low interest rate.(Ning)
Impact on Immigration Immigration is the movement of people from one country into another, primarily to become a resident for reasons including economic, social or personal factors. In the decade of 1940 during the end of World War II, the Prime Minister at the time, Ben Chifley established the federal department of immigration. The prime objection to the department was to administer the introduction of large scale immigration programs. 1945 Arthur Calwell, the first appointed minister for immigration promoted mass immigration, encouraging a 1 percent increase a year. In Australia's history we understand that immigration at the time were based on both political and economic objectives as there was raised concerns relating to the vulnerability
Our Connected World: Japan and Australia Japan and Australia have a complicated relationship, due to World War Two. Though in recent years Australia and Japan have both become good allies. Australia and Japans trade relationship has become greatly beneficial for both countries. Japans Tourism industry is also a huge bonus for the country. Japan and Australia’s Migration history extents a long way back, over 140 years ago.
Both Australia and New Zealand have different values, laws, institutional frameworks and cultural traditions. Although it is important that all Indigenous traditions and values can be recognised.