Australia’s relationship with the USA needs to be independent and peaceful and foreign policy needs to reflect that in the coming years.
On-going conflicts in the Middle East, the growing power of China, the existential ramifications of global warming and biodiversity loss and many more issues of our times necessitate an intelligent foreign policy informed by the need for peace, science and intergenerational equity.
Australia is not “joined at the hip” to the US – this is not a sentiment supported by the Australian public who routinely disagree with US foreign policy.
Australia needs to build a diplomatic and policy apparatus that can not only deviate from Washington but pursue the interests of the Australian people.
This will only happen when a cohesive and informed foreign policy approach is established.
