Australian Politics and Policy - Senior, 2019a

Foreign and defence policy
interaction of states, acting in their self-interest in an anarchic international system,
results in ‘a politics of power and security’. 9 Both scholars and Liberal Party
members alike tend to agree that the Liberals reflect elements that can be
characterisedas‘realist’:astrongpreferenceforalliancestoensuresecurity,a
scepticism towards the utility of multilateral forums and agreements, and a
tendency towards pragmatism, rather than idealism in decision making. 10 Prime
Minister Howard’s government epitomised such an approach to foreign and
defence policy. His government’s 1997 Foreign Policy White Paper, entitled In the
National Interest, made the argument that the Coalition’s approach was ‘the hardheaded
pursuit of the interests which lie at the core of foreign and trade policy’. 11
More recent foreign and defence policy decisions from Prime Ministers Abbott,
Turnbull and Morrison have continued to reflect the realist mindset with the
continuing centrality of ANZUS to defence strategy, the ongoing proliferation of
bilateral defence co-operation and free trade agreements (FTAs) since the Coalition
returned to power in 2013, and the ‘pragmatism’ of the Liberal Party approach
evident in the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper. 12
In contrast, the ALP is often linked with international relations liberalism,
which assumes democracy, free trade, and multilateral institutions and norms are
viewed as the most conducive means of achieving co-operation between states
and international peace. 13 The ALP has thus placed faith in international law, the
UN, and global/regional organisations as a means for pursuing Australia’s national
interests and values. ALP Prime Ministers Gough Whitlam, with his rapprochement
with China, and Paul Keating, with his drive for Asian engagement, set the
precedents for such approaches. The Rudd–Gillard governments continued to
evince these tendencies – the championing of multilateral forums like the G20,
the bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, and norm
entrepreneurship and activism at the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in
Copenhagen. This approach has often been referred to, especially in Labor rhetoric,
as ‘middle power diplomacy’ – and scholars have adopted the ‘middle power’
framework to characterise and understand such behaviour. 14 The ‘middle power’
concept emphasises a combination of sufficient power resources (normally
measured as the countries ranked globally from about 6th to 30th in terms of
GDP), with an inclination towards foreign policy activism on key global or niche
issues, such as climate change or disarmament. Middle powers have traditionally
viewed themselves as good international citizens, supporting international laws and
norms through multilateralism, rather than as self-interested mercantilist or military
powers. Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s initiative on creating an Asia Pacific
9 Wohlforth 2008.
10 McCraw 2008.
11 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 1997, iii.
12 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2017, 11.
13 Jahn 2013.
14 Wilkins 2014.
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