Common wealth? The state of Australian foreign policy
While there is a diversity of views on Victoria’s Belt and Road Initiative agreement with Beijing, there seems to be universal agreement on a solution: the federal government should simply assert its constitutional prerogative and regain full control of the nation’s foreign policy. That horse has, however, long since bolted.
In the first half of the 20th century, Australia’s diplomacy was conducted out of the prime minister’s office. In the second half of the century, the RG Casey building and the Department of External Affairs (now the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) became involved. In the 21st century, Australia’s diplomacy is shaped by every state capital in the country.
Read the rest of Dr Carr’s full article here
Andrew Carr is a Senior Lecturer in the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at The Australian National University.
Image sourced from taki Lau on Flickr.
