Australia has been told to develop a clear vision for foreign policy as it attempts to navigate an unpredictable relationship with the United States.
The future of defence spending, tariffs and Australia’s nuclear submarine agreement with the US and UK remain unclear after Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.
Australia’s military budget did not even come up in conversation, according to Senator Wong, despite previous US calls for Australia to lift its defence spending.
While the other two topics were discussed, there was little sign negotiations had progressed.
The government needed to outline a clear direction, La Trobe University’s international relations emeritus professor Joseph Camilleri said.
“What Australian governments – this one included – struggle with is a lack of coherent foreign policy and that then shows itself in these meetings,” he told AAP.
Australia should instead clarify how its relationship with the US relates to its Southeast Asian neighbours on one hand, and with China on the other, and that could trickle through to the position the government takes on issues like the war in Ukraine, conflict in Gaza and tensions between Israel and Iran.
But there were considerable differences in perspectives and views the government hadn’t been able to handle coherently, according to Professor Camilleri.
“It just tries to deal with foreign policy as best it can in small pieces,” he said.
“They are hemmed in by powerful pressures on different sides and to think through a coherent alternative would require a very bold initiative.
“Most governments, this one included, are not taken to bold initiatives.”
There are interests within the US, including intelligence, security and military agencies, and in Australia, such as the coalition, that are committed to the alliance.
“We need a real focus on this alliance – it’s crucial to our prosperity, to our security as a country,” opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said.
However, Australian voters’ declining trust in the US under its Republican president was made clear at the federal election in May, where Donald Trump’s volatility appeared to contribute to Labor’s landslide win.
When asked if the US remained a reliable partner while led by Mr Trump, Senator Wong said Australia understood he had a “different view of how America is to be in the world”.
“We respect that, we also recognise how important our relationship is and we believe that is understood here in Washington,” she said.
“(This) is a relationship where the alliance has been in the hands of governments of both political persuasions and it will always be so.”
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