2016 DEFENCE WHITE PAPER

Strategic Defence Interests 69
and coercion and where Australia exercises full sovereignty over its
territories and borders. A secure, resilient Australia extends into our
northern approaches, our Exclusive Economic Zone, and our offshore
territories, including our Southern Ocean and Antarctic territories. A
secure, resilient Australia includes protection from non-geographic
threats such as cyber attack, anti-satellite weapons and ballistic
missile systems.
3.6 Our interest in a secure, resilient Australia also means an Australia
resilient to unexpected shocks, whether natural or man-made, and
strong enough to recover quickly when the unexpected happens.
SECTION ONE STRATEGY
A secure nearer region, encompassing maritime South East Asia
and the South Pacific
3.7 Our second Strategic Defence Interest is in a secure nearer region.
Australia cannot be secure if our immediate neighbourhood including
Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Pacific Island Countries becomes a
source of threat to Australia. This includes the threat of a foreign military
power seeking influence in ways that could challenge the security of
our maritime approaches or transnational crime targeting Australian
interests.
3.8 Instability or conflict in South East Asia would threaten Australia’s
security and our vital and growing economic relationships in that
region. Stability in South East Asia is important to countering other
threats including transnational crime and terrorism. Australia’s reliance
on maritime trade with and through South East Asia, including energy
supplies, means the security of our maritime approaches and trade
routes within South East Asia must be protected, as must freedom
of navigation, which provides for the free flow of maritime trade in
international waters.
2016 DEFENCE WHITE PAPER