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Between the Lines with Tom Switzer: Interview with Peter Dean- US-Australia security treaty under Donald Trump
Interview with Peter Dean, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre Director, Australian National University, about the future of the US-Australia security treaty under a Donald Trump presidency. Switzer plays an excerpt from an interview with Paul Keating where he was saying that Australia should cut its tag with the US. Dean says international affairs writer Coral Bell said that US’ interest in Australia is always directly related to the US’ interest in Asia. He says the US has provided a balance of power in the region. Switzer says Dean along with Stephan Frühling and Brendan Taylor are editors of Australia’s American Alliance which is just out from Melbourne University Publishing. Switzer says Keating and Malcolm Fraser argued that under Labor and Coalition Governments of recent times, Australia’s independence in foreign policy deliberations has been lacking. Dean says he doesn’t agree with them, saying Australia continue to have its own independent foreign policy. Switzer says Labor Foreign Affairs spokesperson Penny Wong had a piece in the Fairfax Press where she was saying the alliance could actually change in the Trump era. Dean says Trump will accelerate that change but it will happen even without him.
Listen to the full interview with Dr Peter Dean on Radio National.
