Brexit Britain's 'creeping irrelevance' to Australia hinted at in foreign policy blueprint

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull attends the official launch of the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper in Canberra
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull attends the official launch of the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper in Canberra Credit: Reuters

Australia has pledged to bolster ties with a post-Brexit Britain – including signing a free trade deal – but its new long-term foreign policy blueprint appeared to signal London’s “creeping irrelevance” to Canberra.

In a sign of Australia’s shifting priorities, a 136-page foreign policy white paper released by prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in Canberra included no special section on ties with Britain, which received just twelve mentions.

In contrast, the previous white paper in 2003 featured a two-page section highlighting the “alignment of our security interests and our shared values and history” and made 49 mentions of Britain.

James Curran, an expert on Australia’s foreign relations, said the latest white paper was “confirmation” of the rapidly diminishing importance of relations between the two nations. Until the early 1940s, Britain had effective control over Australia’s foreign policy.  

“The lack of mentions of Britain in the white paper confirms the creeping irrelevance of Britain to Australia’s outlook – and Brexit confirms it,” Professor Curran, from Sydney University, told The Telegraph.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull shake hands during the official launch of the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull shake hands during the official launch of the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper Credit: Reuters

“Beyond our commitment to shared values and to democracy, the Australia-Britain relationship has been diluted of virtually of any real meaning or weight. The intelligence links are still important, but what else do we do together?”

Professor Curran added: “The relationship is no longer in the top five of Australia’s relations with other nations. It might be at the back of the top ten.”

Describing the relationship, the white paper said Britain remains “one of Australia’s most important partners” but  acknowledged that Brexit will change the nature of the ties.

After flagging plans for an “ambitious” free trade deal with Europe, the white paper  said  Australia “will also negotiate a comprehensive [free trade deal] with the United Kingdom once it has left the European Union”.

“[Britain’s] exit from the European Union will change the framework for our engagement but will not alter its foundation,” the paper said.

“We see this transition as an opportunity to re-invigorate cooperation as the United Kingdom maintains a global role on security and economic issues.”

One of the main focuses of the white paper was to sketch  Australia’s response to the growing threat that China’s rise poses to the United States’s dominance of the Asia-Pacific region – a development about which the document was surprisingly frank.

"The United States has been the dominant power in our region throughout Australia's post-World War II history,” it said.

“Today, China is challenging America's position.”

Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull takes a selfie with US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping
Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull takes a selfie with US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping Credit: AFP

Admitting that global “power is shifting”, Mr Turnbull said Australia needed to “hedge” against the risk that China’s rise will lead to regional tensions.

“In the past we could safely assume that the world worked in a way that suited Australia,” he said.

“We are experiencing unprecedented prosperity and opportunity but the liberal, rules-based order that underpins it all is under greater stress than at any time since its creation in the 1940s.”

The white paper warned of the threat of growing economic nationalism and protectionism. It did not mention Donald Trump but conceded that the US was increasingly questioning its own commitment to preserving its global leadership.

“The Government recognises there is greater debate and uncertainty in the United States about the costs and benefits of its leadership in parts of the international system,” it said.

“We believe that the United States’ engagement to support a rules-based order is in its own interests and in the interests of wider international stability and prosperity. Without sustained US support, the effectiveness and liberal character of the rules-based order will decline.”

 

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