This topic discusses Australia in its global context, highlighting its international defence, political, aid, migration, trade, and sporting links.
Summary
There are a number of forces promoting greater cultural and economic links between nations. These nations include:
- The activities of transnational corporations (E.G. Coca Cola, Rip Curl, McDonalds, Star Bucks)
- Global satellite and cable-based communications systems (e.g. the internet)
- International migration of workers seeking employment
- Global media networks (Foxtell) promoting western popular culture
- The emergence of a global financial system
These forces have promoted the process of globalisation (ie where countries have become increasingly interconnected economically, politically and culturally.
Political links - Some of our most important political links include
- The Commonwealth - The Australian prime minister attends CHOGM meetings on a regular basis
- In the Asia Pacific region Australia has relations with ASEAN (Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Burma, Malaysia, Cambodia)
- In the Pacific Australian is a member of the South Pacific Forum. We also have a close relationship with New Zealand. The CER (closer economic relationship) Allows for free movement of goods and people between the two nations.
Security Links
- Since WW2 Australia has been closely aligned with the United States in matters of security.
- ANZUS is a formal defence treaty between the three nations.
Australia and the United nations
- Australia is a member of the United Nations and a supporter of UN agencies such as
- FAO
- WFP
- UNICEF
- Australia attends international disarmament forums and actively supports the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty. We would also like to see a complete ban on nuclear weapons testing. Moreover, we are also active in achieving a global ban on personnel landmines
Extended Notes
Australia has adopted regional and global military ties enforcing the defence of its territory and its strategic interests linked to
international peace and stability. Defence ties are shaped by challenges seen to be facing Australia such as globalisation, with the increase in cross-border linkages and global population movement. The Australian Defence Force (ADF), comprising army, naval and air forces, received a budget allocation of $16.35 billion for 2004-05 with defence activity being the highest since the Vietnam War.
Australia's region and strategic environment has become more complex because of the increasing non-military nature of defence issues such as counter-terrorism. This is reflected in its expanding bilateral, regional and multilateral security links despite the lack of a direct military threat to its security. Examples of Australia's global defence links include its membership of the United Nations (UN) and international peacekeeping operations as well as regional links such as ANZUS. Defence policies have recently converged more strongly with the United States, not just in Australia's cooperative military action in Iraq and Afghanistan but in response to the non-military issues of counter-terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and regional and international stability.
Australia's defence forces have contributed to international peacekeeping, by serving in combat operations and acting as UN and multinational peacekeepers and observers. Examples of this include Australia's deployment of a UN multinational force to East Timor at its break for independence from Indonesia. Australia has further served in peacekeeping and humanitarian projects in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Bougainville, Cambodia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Namibia, Rwanda, Sinai, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Syria and Zimbabwe. Australia is involved in international disarmament forums which include the UN Conference on Disarmament, UN General Assembly's First Committee and the UN Disarmament Commission.
Australia's political links are expressed in its participation in treaties and agreements, which include the following:
• The United Nations (UN), of which Australia was one of the first countries to join in 1945 and played an important role in drafting the UN Charter;
• The Commonwealth of Nations-a voluntary association that consists of 53 developed and developing countries which have had colonial links in the former British Commonwealth or Empire;
• ASEAN Regional Forum, which consists of Burma, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam-Australia is a dialogue partner with these countries in liberalising regional trade and expanding security links that address defence, illegal immigrants, refugees, trans-national crime and piracy, environmental protection and counter-terrorism;
• ANZUS Pact, which is a bilateral pact between Australia and the United States that aims for the practical cooperation of intelligence, defence technologies, and logistics support in the region.
Australia's international aid links are focused on the Asia-Pacific region and the poorest parts of East Asia but also contribute to development needs in South Asian, African and Middle Eastern countries. Australia is the leading regional donor with a total aid flow of $2.946 billion for 2006-2007, directed at 58 million people globally and in the region. This is implemented through a cooperative approach with international partners at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, to reduce poverty and improve the standard of living of people in developing countries with sustainable development. Australia's multilateral aid differs from its bilateral aid in channelling all forms of official development assistance provided by the governments of developed countries through international organisations. These include the United Nations, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) as well as Commonwealth organisations. Roughly 30% of Australia's aid budget is spent on multilateral global programs which are used to fund emergency relief projects, refugee assistance, large-scale construction of railways, roads, and other development projects, as well as scientific research of disease and global warming issues.
Australia's strong migration links are reflected in the fact that nearly half a million migrants arrive in Australia annually-approximately 13% of these are from Britain and New Zealand, 7% from China, 6% from India and 5% from South Africa. Since the 1960s the White Australia Policy had been abandoned, and the impact of post-war immigration could be seen in the gradual ending of the long-accepted policy of assimilation, and in the acceptance of the policy of integration, where migrant groups were allowed to maintain their national identity while still becoming part of the larger community-in the 1970s this was expanded into the policy of multiculturalism. Today, many regard Australia as a multicultural society as 25% of its 19.9 million people have been born overseas, reflecting a diversity of cultures, races and religions that did not previously exist before the end of the Second World War. The increasing shift in the overseas sources of migrants from countries in Europe to those in
Australia's region and the globe has brought with it many cultural, economic and geopolitical impacts on Australia. These include the increase in demand for infrastructure through the spending by migrants on food and housing, the expansion of regional business and investment links and additions to labour and skills levels brought by migrants.
Australia's political, immigration and cultural links with other countries have been reinforced by trade and investment, with its high reliance on imports. Although Australia relies heavily on its overseas foreign investment and employers, with hundreds of foreign companies operating in Australia, it is also a high exporter of goods, services and capital. Japan has become
Australia's largest trading partner, importing Australian wool, and minerals such as coal and iron ore. It has also replaced Britain as one of Australia's main source of consumer goods. Japan, the United States and China have further replaced Britain as Australia's main sources of major import items such as passenger motor vehicles, crude petroleum, freight services and computers.
The integrated nature of the world's economy has made it essential for Australia to engage in dialogue on trade through bilateral and multilateral agreements and through trading blocs, including the negotiation of free trade agreements. Australia has strengthened trade and economic relations with Japan, Korea and China, and assisted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group in facilitating trade and corporate governance. Its largest trading partner is the European Union (EU), which was established to remove barriers to the free movement of capital, labour and services within Europe and to establish trade barriers against non-member countries.
Australia's contemporary cultural links with other countries are reflected in its tourism and sport. The importance of tourism to Australia may be seen in the number of Australians travelling overseas and, in turn, the thousands of overseas tourists visiting Australia each year. Tourism has also been its single largest source of foreign exchange dollars and a significant source of employment and economic growth. In 2004, a total of 5.2 million visitors came to Australia-this is an increase of 10% since 2003 and is the highest annual number of arrivals so far recorded. The top source countries for visitor arrivals in 2004 were New Zealand, followed by Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. While New Zealand has accounted for the most visitor arrivals to Australia, Japan has been Australia's largest financial tourism market with $2.06 billion in revenue. The most popular destination for Australians is New Zealand, followed by the United States, the United Kingdom, Indonesia and Thailand.
Sport is considered by some to be a national 'religion' or 'obsession' with its own opportunities for attracting business in Australia with sporting countries. As well as hosting the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Australia has participated in the Commonwealth Games, Asia Pacific Games, Pan Pacific ('Pan Pacs') swimming meet. Australia also hosts the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australian Open (tennis), the World Rugby 7s and the Commonwealth Bank Cycling Classic held annually in NSW. Australia also has a competitive world profile in soccer, rugby union and Tri-Nation rugby union tests (played between Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK), as well as boxing, cycling, golf, middle-distance running, motor cycle racing, pole vaulting, swimming and tennis.
