STST3002 Study Guide - Final Guide: Lowy Institute For International Policy, Academic Journal, White Paper
Reading journal week 4 – u6071409
Commonwealth of Australia, 2016 Defence White Paper, Canberra: Department
of Defence, http://www.defence.gov.au/whitepaper/Docs/2016-Defence-White-
Paper.pdf Chapter 3
Summary
• Chapter three of the 2016 Defence White Paper outlines the defence strategy
for Australia for the next twenty years, which must change in response to the
shift in global economic and political power.
• The strategic policy seeks to:
o increase Defence’s capabilities and involvement in regional affairs and,
o fortify the U.S.-Australia alliance and partnerships with other states.
• The White paper concisely explains Australia’s strategic defence interests
(mainly securing maritime areas) and strategic defence objectives. These
include:
o Interests: securing the North and nearby sea lines of communication
(SLOCs), ‘securing maritime South East (SE) Asia and South Pacific,
and a stable Indo-Pacific region and a rules-based global order’ (p67)
o Objectives: deter threats to Australia and its national interests, offering
military contributions to preserve maritime security in SE Asia whilst
supporting the governments of Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and
Pacific Island states, and support the rules-based global order militarily.
• The white Paper finally discusses the implications of the two types of forces
(force structure and force posture) that Australia will end up evolving to meet
the above strategic defence objectives.
o To avoid implications, a “balanced joint force structure and increased
international cooperation and engagement” will be necessary’ (p78).
Analysis
• This White Paper focuses strongly on the contestable proposition that the
current rules based global order ought to be maintained.
o The paper does not factor in possible fluctuations of the order over time
– the rules based global order is not a fixed, unchanging concept.
o Recent Chinese challenge to the status quo is evidence of the
aforementioned instabilities.
• The White Paper is a very optimistic evaluation of Australia’s Defence outlook.
o It is certain of America’s willingness and capability to defend the status
quo and does not believe China will be aggressive in challenging the
rules based global order.
o Australia and other Asian states are quite reliant on America’s power in
the region which balances China.
• Australian defence strategy should focus on whether the U.S. will commit to
defend the status quo in Asia, and if there are any doubts, should make policy
to protect ourselves.
• The 2016 Defence White Paper almost denies and downplays the threat of a
rising China in the Asia-Pacific
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