Miscellaneous
The Australian Foreign Policy White Paper was released in November 2017, the first of its kind in 14 years. To understand Australia’s foreign policy plan, Kyle sat down with DFAT WA Director, Andrea Gleason, and Former Deputy Prime Minister and Former Australian Ambassador to the US, The Hon Kim Beazley. Andrea offers the Australian Government perspective, breaking down the game plan of Australia’s foreign policy and explores the values and priorities Australia’s foreign policy is anchored and informed by. Kim expresses his opposition to the Foreign Policy White Paper, but is nonetheless impressed with what DFAT has created. He also draws upon his decades of experience sharing his observations on the Korean Peninsula, the rise of emerging Indo-Pacific powers and advocates for anti-globalisation. You can download Australia’s Foreign Policy White Paper on https://www.fpwhitepaper.gov.au/foreign-policy-white-paper and connect with us on www.perthusasia.edu.au. Show notes Andrea Gleason: - The Foreign Policy White Paper is a strategic framework and everyday Australians have a stake and a role in Australia's engagement with the rest of the world (12:00) - Australia has a broad range of soft power assets (20:40) - Australia's vision for the Indo-Pacific will inform how Australia addresses and manages the geopolitical challenges in the world (23:10) - The growing Asian middle class is described as the greatest economic transformation in 200 years (35:40) Kim Beazley: - The rising Indo-Pacific region is not just about China, but also about India, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia and South Korea (13:35) - The North Korea situation has the potential to destroy Australia economically (24:21) - The "Age of Deterrence" was the "Age of Transparency". Today, we are in the "Age of Defence". In defence, you keep high levels of secrecy, not transparency. (24:41) - A miscalculation on the Korean Peninsula can destroy Australia economically (26:50) - The US is no longer a defender of the rules-based global order (28:50) - For Australia to pursue protectionist and economic nationalist policy would be "economic death" for Australian children and their futures (39:10)