The phrase ‘great and powerful friend’ is a totem of Australian defence, setting strategy since federation. The totem’s purpose is to make and manage The Alliance—capitalise and underline it as crucial and central. The search …
Tag Archive for: "Robert Menzies"
In part 1 of this series, I argued that though on the surface ANZUS seems in good health, there are at least four diverging strategic interests: American primacy in Asia, the institutional status quo, Taiwan, …
Australia does baling wire diplomacy—practical, pragmatic and proudly makeshift. Oz rural tradition decrees a bloke with baling wire can fix a gate or fence or shed or even a tractor. Baling wire diplomacy is adequate …
Fifty years ago this month Robert Menzies retired from Parliament, after a record-breaking 16 years as Prime Minister (in addition to an earlier term of just over two years in 1939–41) and having won seven …
Perhaps an old-fashioned diplomatic historian might add to the valuable comments by Peter Jennings, Peter McCawley and Greta Nabbs-Keller on how to handle the current tensions between Australia and Indonesia. In particular, we might usefully …