Australias Pursuit of an Independent Foreign Policy under the Whitlam Labor Gov [Hardcover]

Contents

List of acronyms and abbreviations

Key People

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1. Not A Camp-Follower Anymore

Chapter 2. In Pursuit of Judicial Independence

Chapter 3. From Forward Defence to Continental Defence

Chapter 4. The Spectre of Nuclear Testing

Chapter 5. Stuck between Two Worlds

Chapter 6. The Triumph of Realism

Conclusion

Index

Chen demonstrates how ?the pursuit of foreign policy independence repeatedly placed the Whitlam Government in a position wedged in between Australias traditional allies and the Third World; and how it navigated Australias national interests on a series of dilemma situations.

Examining a series of episodes in Australias foreign relations under Whitlam, the author pays attention to a broad range of hitherto insufficiently researched domestic and international issues in Australians foreign relations of the early 1970s.

The election of the Whitlam-led Labor Government in December 1972 ushered in fresh ideas and audacious initiatives in Australias foreign policy. Whitlams approach was shaped by a vision of taking Australia forward to its rightful and independent place in the future of the Asia-Pacific region. They range from immigration policy and the abolition of appeals from Australian Courts to the Privy Council to such major international issues as the Anglo-American base in Diego Garcia, French nuclear testing in the Pacific and the Five-Power Agreement with respect to Malaysia and Singapore. He demonstrates how the pursuit of foreign policy independence repeatedly placed the Whitlam Government in a position wedged in between Australias traditional allies and the Third Wol£+