2016 DEFENCE WHITE PAPER

Australia’s security environment 45
and Ukraine can affect Australia’s security and prosperity. The global
nature of the challenges we face have been demonstrated by the rise of
Daesh in Iraq and Syria. Daesh’s violent extremism has attracted foreign
terrorist fighters from around the world including Australia. Terrorists
acting in the name of Daesh have perpetrated attacks in several
countries including Australia. Never before has there been a time when
external threats so distant from our shores have had the capacity to so
quickly affect our direct interests. In the decades ahead, we are likely to
face new challenges to our interests across the globe.
SECTION ONE STRATEGY
2.21 While Australia is the world’s twelfth largest economy and has
sophisticated and growing military capabilities, Australia does not
have the capacity to unilaterally protect and further our global security
interests. This means we will be working with our alliance partner the
United States, ASEAN countries, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO), the United Nations and other partners to achieve our common
goals in protecting and promoting a stable rules-based global order.
2.22 Underpinning the rules-based global order is a broad architecture of
international governance which has developed since the end of the
Second World War. This governance framework, including the United
Nations, international laws and conventions and regional security
architectures, has helped support Australia’s security and economic
interests for 70 years.
2.23 The framework of the rules-based global order is under increasing
pressure and has shown signs of fragility. The balance of military and
economic power between countries is changing and newly powerful
countries want greater influence and to challenge some of the rules in
the global architecture established some 70 years ago.
2.24 While it is natural for newly powerful countries to seek greater influence,
they also have a responsibility to act in a way that constructively
contributes to global stability, security and prosperity. However, some
2016 DEFENCE WHITE PAPER