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Features Of Australian Foreign Policy

Australia’s foreign policy includes a number of separate, but inter-related policies in the areas of defence and security, trade, international commitments and foreign aid.

White Papers

Selected Items

  • 2002: ‘John Curtin’s World And Ours’: Speech by Paul Keating – a critique of Australian foreign policy by the former Labor Prime Minister, delivered on the 57th anniversary of Curtin’s death.
  • 2002: Australia’s Foreign Policy Challenge – Speech by Alexander Downer, as part of the government’s process leading to a second White Paper to be called Advancing the National Interest.
  • 2001: Australia – Meeting Our International Challenges – Speech by Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs. The speech includes an extensive discussion of Australia’s commitment to globalisation.
  • 1996: Australia’s Place In The World – Speech by Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs, in which he discusses the foreign policy goals of the coalition government, particularly Australia’s commitment to the region, the enhancement of Australia’s security, Australia’s broader global links, and the Government’s approach to human rights and humanitarian issues.

Foreign Policy Backgrounders

A good starting point for the study of Australian foreign policy is this collection of articles from the Australian Bureau of Statistics web site.

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Malcolm Farnsworth
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