‘Australian foreign policy needs a shake-up after two decades of sclerotic decline‘, The Conversation, 1 October 2015
The author, a commentator and former diplomat, argues that the last two decades
were years of sclerosis and decline in Australia’s once creative and agile foreign policy. More and more, Australia became dullard US camp followers, as all the really important bilateral relationships and strategic choices moved into prime ministerial orbits of power, bounded by an increasingly fearful national security orthodoxy.
He wonders whether recent political changes provide an opportunity to restore Australian independence, revive the arts of diplomacy and advance national interests in a bipartisan way.
Dennis Bright on the Australian Independent Media Network website makes similar points. Both Bright’s and Kevin’s articles link to other material. Another article from Kevin on similar lines. (‘We can’t be a dumbly obedient janissary for the US in its prickly relationship with China.’)
