One of the claims of the 'Great and powerful friends' doctrine [GAPF] of foreign policy is that it brings economic benefits to the smaller partner from the powerful friend. This stems back to Billy Hughes in 1919 being concerned that if Australia was seen as disloyal to Britain, then Canada would get privileged access to the British wheat markets. Which was a false assumption to base a foreign policy upon. Today the Free Trade Agreement [FTA] is being touted as an example of the GAPF working to Australia's benefit. It is worth reflecting if this is true. (more)
John Reeve calls the Anglo dominance of the oceans the
Lucky League
. Britannia carried blue water supremacy until they obsoleted themselves with the Dreadnought. British supremacy lingered until World War II, when the United States leap-frogged them, and all other nations in a four year bound. America has been the barely disputed champion of the oceans since. Reeve argues that our tangential inclusion in that Anglo dominance has been positive for Australia. He is arguing for the Great and Powerful Friends doctrine [GAPF] of foreign policy.
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One of the fallacies of the "great and powerful friends" [GAPF] doctrine of foreign policy is that in return for uncritical support of the super-power in foreign policy, we get security and economic benefits. It is a lie we tell, and sell to ourselves. Super-powers play power politics, and the weak get consumed and spat out.
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The Department of External Affairs was still a young government department when Percy Spender took over its reins in 1949 with the successful election of the Menzies Government. Spender was a powerful member of the Liberal Cabinet, and one who Menzies was concerned about as a potential challenger to his leadership of the Liberal Party. Spender's forebears, Doc Evatt and John Burton had attempted to balance direct relationships with super-powers, alongside multi-national foreign policy through the UN with an engagement of Australia's Asian interests through regional foreign policy. Spender came to the department with the ideological lines of the Cold War establishing themselves, he chose the path of whole heartedly embracing the dominant western super-power while maintaining regional foreign policy ties. (more)
Australia is facing a federal election on October 9th with the two main parties having little to separate them in domestic and economic policy. Where the Liberal and Labor parties differ greatly is in foreign policy. The Liberal Party adheres to the "Great and Powerful Friends" doctrine while the Labor Party pursues the doctrine of "Asian Engagement".
Since the September 11th attacks on the United States, terrorism has been thrust to the fore as the dominant security issue facing western nations. Australia has not had a terrorist attack on its shores; but two attacks in Bali and Jakarta have occurred in Indonesia that can be construed as terrorist attacks against Australia. Consequently terrorism for Australia is a foreign policy issue. On this basis the competing foreign policies of the Liberal Party and Labor Party can be compared.
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