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
- 2012: Australia in the Asian Century – Gillard government
- 2003: Advancing The National Interest – Howard government
- 1997: In The National Interest – Howard government
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.
- Australia’s Place in the International System
- Australia’s Bilateral Relationships
- Australia’s Security Interests
- Australia’s Economic Interests
- Australia and the United Nations
- Australia’s Human Rights Policy
- DFAT’s Role In Australia’s International Relations
- Australia’s Overseas Aid Program
Archived Posts
- ANZUS Treaty – Full Text September 1, 1951
- Arthur Calwell Responds To The Menzies Government’s Military Commitment To South Vietnam May 4, 1965
- Hawke And Hewson Welcome Nelson Mandela To Australia October 23, 1990
- Downer: Australia’s Place In The World November 26, 1996
- Closer Economic Relations: Australian And New Zealand February 28, 1997
- In The National Interest: Foreign Policy White Paper August 31, 1997
- Books On Foreign Policy February 15, 1999
- Alexander Downer: Australia – Meeting Our International Challenges March 1, 2001
- Howard Launches DFAT Book Of Documents On Australian Foreign Policy August 29, 2001
- John Howard: We Are Allied With A Just Cause October 25, 2001
- Australia And Asia: New Partnerships, New Directions – Speech by Simon Crean April 22, 2002
- Paul Foley: Ambassador To East Timor May 30, 2002
- Government Gives In-Principle Support to US First-Strike Policy June 18, 2002
- Howard Government Decides To Ratify International Criminal Court June 20, 2002
- Downer Responds To Bush’s Statement On The Middle East June 25, 2002
- Paul Keating: John Curtin’s World And Ours July 5, 2002
- Howard Meets Pope; Discusses Kangaroo Meat July 6, 2002
- Hugs And Unfair Dismissals: Howard Meets With Berlusconi July 9, 2002
- ASEAN Regional Forum September 15, 2002
- Statements On Iraq: Downer And Crean Speak In House Debate September 17, 2002
- Cyclone Zoe Hits Solomon Islands January 2, 2003
- Bob Carr: What Australia Means To Me January 26, 2003
- Defence Of Shared Values Depends On European-US Unity: 8 Leaders January 31, 2003
- Advancing The National Interest – Foreign Affairs White Paper February 12, 2003
- Advancing The National Interest: Foreign Policy White Paper February 12, 2003
- Australia’s Latest Population Figures February 21, 2003
- Howard Announces Cabinet Decision To Deploy Defence Forces In Gulf Region March 18, 2003
- Beattie Says Howard Will Need To Repair Australia’s Regional Relationships March 25, 2003
- Iraq War: Daily Defence Briefing – Brigadier Mike Hannan March 28, 2003
- Iraq Operations Going Extremely Well: Howard March 28, 2003
- Daily Defence Briefing: Robert Hill And Peter Cosgrove April 1, 2003
- Daily Defence Briefing: ‘It Looks Like A Short War,’ Says Hill April 15, 2003
- Howard ‘A Man Of Steel’ Says Bush May 3, 2003
- Minor Parties Oppose US Free Trade Agreement May 5, 2003
- Costello Jousts With Journalists Over National Accounts, Iraq, Tuckey, Ethanol And Hanson September 2, 2003
- Asia’s Role In Australia’s Economic Future: Ian Macfarlane October 16, 2003
- Downer Attacks The Myth Of ‘Little’ Australia November 26, 2003
- Australia’s Defence Well Prepared, But ALP Would Make Us Vulnerable: Hill January 24, 2004
- Tetchy Howard Defends Choice Of Waugh As Australian Of The Year January 25, 2004
- Agreement Reached On Australia-USA Free Trade Agreement February 9, 2004
- Mark Latham: A Big Country – Australia’s National Identity April 20, 2004
- Australians Speak: Public Opinion and Foreign Policy March 28, 2005
- John Howard Statement To The House On Iraq June 22, 2006
- Kim Beazley Statement To The House On Iraq June 22, 2006
- Howard And Karamanlis Sign Social Security Agreement May 23, 2007
- John Howard Speech To ASPI Global Forces Conference July 5, 2007
- John Howard Speech To APEC Forum In Sydney September 6, 2007
- Howard Conducts APEC Final Press Conference; Questioned About Leadership September 9, 2007
- Eighth Australian Soldier Killed In Afghanistan January 5, 2009
- Rudd Offers Condolences On Death Of Australian Soldier January 5, 2009
- Kevin Rudd’s Australia Day Speech January 24, 2010
- Kevin Rudd Praises Spirit of ‘Fair Go’ And ‘Can Do’ In Speech To Australian Of The Year Nominees January 25, 2010
- Australia’s Afghanistan Commitment: John Faulkner And Stephen Smith Press Conference June 23, 2010
- The Age Publishes WikiLeaks Cables From US Embassy December 15, 2010
- AUKMIN III Communique January 18, 2011
- “Fellow Punters, Fellow Capitalists”: Bill Shorten in Hong Kong January 19, 2011
- The Egyptian Unrest: Special Report from Stratfor January 30, 2011
- Gillard Announces Free QANTAS Evacuation Flight From Cairo January 31, 2011
- Rudd Resigns From Gillard Ministry; Late Night Move In Washington February 22, 2012
- Bob Carr Enters The Senate And Becomes Foreign Minister March 2, 2012
- Hillary Clinton On China March 7, 2012
- Kevin Rudd: Building An Asia-Literate Australia April 17, 2012
- Gillard: Afghanistan Troops Will Be Brought Home During 2013-14 April 17, 2012
- Government Expels Syrian Diplomats May 29, 2012
- Malcolm Fraser’s Whitlam Oration June 6, 2012
- Tony Abbott’s China Speech: Working Harder On A Complex Relationship July 24, 2012
- Rudd: Global Challenges, Global Responses And Global Governance July 26, 2012
- Paul Keating Speech At Launch Of ‘The China Choice’ August 6, 2012
- Five Australian Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan August 30, 2012
- Australia Wins Seat On United Nations Security Council October 19, 2012
- Gillard Launches Asian Century White Paper October 28, 2012
- Australia In The Asian Century: Foreign Policy White Paper October 28, 2012
- Paul Keating’s Murdoch Oration: Asia In The New Order November 14, 2012
- Howard Lecture: Tony Abbott Introduces William Hague January 17, 2013
- British Foreign Secretary William Hague’s Howard Lecture January 17, 2013
- Gillard Releases National Security Strategy January 23, 2013
- Stuart Robert Attacks Gillard Over National Security Strategy January 23, 2013
- Scott Morrison: Australia, The Land Of Our Adoption January 24, 2013
- Bodyline, The Economy And A Republic: Wayne Swan Joins The Dots January 25, 2013
- ‘Enemy Of The State’ – Senator Nick Xenophon Deported From Malaysia February 16, 2013
- Rudd On Foreign Policy: Prosperity Linked To Our Place In The World August 27, 2013
- Tony Abbott In Canada June 9, 2014
- Abbott Calls For Independent Investigation Of MH17; Foreign Minister Off To UN To Co-Ordinate Campaign July 19, 2014
- Abbott Announces Assistance For Military Airlift To Kurds; No Request Yet For Further Action August 31, 2014
- Federal Government Expands Sanctions Against Russia Over Ukraine Violations September 1, 2014
- Liberal Party Free Time Advertisements: 2016 Federal Election June 25, 2016
- John Howard Responds To Chilcot Report On Iraq War July 7, 2016
- Keating Warns Against Tillerson’s South China Sea Adventurism January 13, 2017
- Turnbull Meets With Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe January 14, 2017