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New Nationalism in Austral ia
In a significant move to the left, voters in Australia
turned over the reins of government late last year to the
country's Labor Party headed by E. Gough Whitlam,
now Australia's 21s t prime minister. Thrust out of
power after the December 2 general election was the
strongly pro-American Liberal-Country Party coalition
which had ruled Australia for nearly a quarter century.
Wide World Photo
Austral ian Prime Minister
Gough Whitlam
Almost immedi–
ately after the bal–
loting, the Labor
Party began revo–
lutionizing Aus–
tralia's domes tic
and foreign poli–
cies. In a number
of swift decisions,
the Australian dol–
lar was revalued
upward 7.05 per–
cent, the draft was
abolished, draft re–
sisters were freed
from jail, past Aus–
tralian positions
in
the United Nations were reversed, the last Australian
servicemen
in
Vietnam were withdrawn, diplomatic
relations with the Nationalist Chinese regime on
Taiwan were broken and relations established with
Peking, and diplomatic relations were established with
East Germany. These were just a few of the changes
made in the wave of liberalization that has rolled over
the continent. Expect more.
lt
is obvious that Canberra intends to take a more
independent stance in international affairs. Australia's
turnabout in foreign policy
is
not likely to significantly
upset the normally tranquil U. S.-Australian relations.
Public opinion in Australia remains basically pro–
American. Speaking over Radio Australia a few weeks
after bis election, Mr. Whitlam stressed the traditional,
deep, and abiding relationship Australia has had with
PLAIN TRUTH May 1973
the United States. In the great essentials, he said, there
would be no decisive change under
his
government.
ANZUS, the mutual defense pact linking Australia,
New Zealand, and the United States, will remain the
"crucial foreign treaty" for Australia. "Indeed," said
Mr. Whitlam, "we shall try to make ANZUS live again,
more constructive, more fruitful, and more meaningful
than it has ever been." The Australian government, fur–
thermore, has no plans at present to reduce its partici–
pation in SEATO , the Southeast Asia Treaty
Organization. More pessimistic observers, however, see
an eventual withdrawal from the organization, at least
from its military aspects.
Trade will also keep Australia and the United
States together. With the loss of trade preferences in
Britain, now that Britain has "joined Europe," Australia
will have to look to American markets for partial com–
pensation. Australia will be trying to break down sorne
of the trade restrictions that the United States has
erected against her dairy products, meat, and wool.
But Australia's future development appears to be
linked primarily to Japan.
According to one Australian
official, "Our trade has changed, with Britain our tradi–
tional mainstay moving into Europe, and Japan emerg–
ing as our majar customer."
Eastern countries, with Japan leading the way, now
take more than 40 percent of Australia's exports and are
the source of 23 percent of its imports. Australia seems
certain to continue as one of Japan's prime sources of
raw materials, particularly of iron ore and coa! for steel
production. And as the Japanese economy grows, Aus–
tralian trade officials see opportunities for expanding
exports of foodstuffs and manufactured goods.
Last year, Australia piled up a trade surplus equal
to almost $2 billion U. S. dollars, due primarily to heavy
mineral and
indu~trial
exports.
Australia's links with other countries in Asia and
the Pacific are growing. In the changing relationships in
Asia and the Pacific, the "new" Australia is a nation to
watch.
- Keith W. Stump
13