Summary:
Foreign Policy under the Whitlam Government
Imagine just for a minute that it is 1972. Gough Whitlam has just brought the Labor Party to power. You are unaware that many changes will be occurring in the near future. And that this government will eventually be dismissed. Many of these changes were made in regards to Australia's foreign policy in relation to dealings with the United States and Asia. The Whitlam government also achieve many other changes including, attitudes to women and the expectations the Australian's had of their Government.
The three years of government under the Australian Labor Party resulted in immense activity in the area of foreign policy, with significantly different approaches and decisions from those of the previous Liberal-National Party governments. Whitlam was keen to move quickly in the foreign policy, as shown by the many changes he made shortly after taking office. The main reason he was able to achieve this was by assuming the role of foreign affairs minister until late in 1973. The aims of the Australian Labor Party's foreign policy were clearly spelt out in Whitlam's statement of 5 December 1972:
" The change of government provides a new opportunity for us to reassess the whole range of Australian foreign policies and attitudes. I shall be reassessing these policies with the general intention of developing more constructive, flexible and progressive approaches to a number of issues. Our thinking is towards a more independent Australian stance in international affairs and towards an Australia which will be less militarily orientated and not open to suggestions of racism; an Australia which will enjoy a growing standing as a distinctive, tolerant, co-operative and well regarded nation not only in the Asia and Pacific region but in the world at large" (Summers, 1990)
Senator Willesee, who became Minister of Foreign Affairs in November 1973, said in June 1974:
"The first duty of Government is to recognise and comprehend the world as it actually is, not as we might conceive or wish it to be" (Henderson, 1978)
Along the same lines Whitlam stated:
"The central aim of my Government's foreign policy will be to do all we can as a medium sized power to help all nations including the great powers and not least our great ally, to make the most of the new opportunities now presenting themselves" (Whitlam, 1985)
The Labor Government's foreign policy indicated quite a new way of looking at world affairs and Australia's role in them. Whitlam obviously felt that Australia had for too long been following the policies of great and powerful allies because they were our friends. Consequently, the notion of independence within existing alliance obligations became a key concept of Labor's foreign policy. Shortly after taking office, the Prime Minister emphasised the Australia's obligations, national interests, alliances and friendships were as important as ever and that 'what has altered is the perception and interpretation of those interests, obligations and friendships'.
Relations between China and Australia were reasonably good until 1949, when the Communist Government came to power. For the next two decades, Australian foreign relations were poor to non-existent. Australia's attitude towards China was hostile. Australians fought against the Chinese in Korea. Australia was also constantly opposed to China on the diplomatic level. The only 'real' contact was maintained on a trade relationship. In the beginning, the Australian government was accused of being hypocritical in her dealings with China. On one hand she expressed distrust and fear of China's foreign policy objectives, but she was still prepared to trade extensively with China in wheat and wool. For instance in 1963-64 Australia exported over $168 million of goods to China. Also Australia for the most of the period exported far more to China than she imported from her. Stephen Fitzgerald, later to become Australia's first Ambassador to China made an interesting comment about Australia's China policies:
"The fundamental weakness in Australia's China policy was that it was in itself static and made no allowance for alternative situations or alternative policies. It could be made to work only so long as China's diplomatic position remained unchanged, particularly in relation to the United States, and so long as the US did not change its own policy towards China and was able to hold a majority of the world's capitals to its view" (Summers, 1990)
The changes anticipated by Fitzgerald in American foreign policy towards China occurred when President Nixon took over in January 1969. However, by 1970 there was considerable evidence to suggest the hostility towards China was rapidly disappearing. The Nixon Doctrine included détente (or establishing more cordial relations) with China. In October 1971 China was admitted to the United Nations, although Australia had ultimately voted against it. The Liberal Party was changing its attitude towards China, but the election to power of the Whitlam Government in December made change that much easier. So ended over two decades of strained relations between the two nations.
The policy, which the Government finally settled, bears all the earmarks of conflict and indecision, and further indecision flowing from unresolved conflicts. There was also recognition that, despite its brief period in office, the Whitlam government achieved a great deal. Whitlam had a passionate belief that the public would inevitably realise where its 'real' interests lie and would support a political leader who identified with them successfully. He expected a majority of the voting public to understand that its interests were being protected and promoted. He turned Australia away from its military preoccupations, especially in Asia, and gave foreign policy new and substantial political dimensions. The change to the foreign policy was the great sea change in the way Australia and Australians looked at the world before 1972, and after 1975. Before these times Australian policies and attitudes consisted of:
."..a fear of foreigners; it focus was a fear of communism, especially Chinese communism..." (Whitlam, 1973)
It is known that some people regard the Rhodesia issue under the Whitlam Government with exceptional fondness, and provided the opportunity for campaigning. Indeed, Rhodesia was the front line against the encroaching wave of world communism. The bewildered, subversive, and plain stupid politicians couldn't see it or don't want to see it. Most of the West's politicians were terrified of the United Nations, and of offending "World Opinion" by taking a stand against the U.N. "line" on Southern Africa. If a stand is not taken, then the result was a foregone conclusion. Rhodesia would fall; then South Africa; and then it would be Australia's turn.
Southern Africa was holding up the Communist global advance; and the longer it held up this advance, the better chance of a counter offensive by the genuine patriotic forces remaining in the West. One excellent method of doing this was giving a clear demonstration that there are friends in other parts of the West, and particularly in the Southern Hemisphere, who did realize that Rhodesia and South Africa were "holding the line" for the West in that part of the world, and who were working to promote some sanity in their own countries.
The Whitlam government also had a major impact the attitudes that Australians now have of national government. The paranoia of communism also dissipated whilst the Whitlam Government was in power. Its most considerable achievement however was in the area of the foreign policy, to which Whitlam brought a new independence and radically different values. Not only was so much changed during this time, it was done with speed and style from the earliest days. The department of foreign affairs had taken pains to convey to the delegation what policy changes might come when the Whitlam Government came to power. The public service was reasonably prepared for the change of government, as well as being implementation of policy, particularly during the period while Whitlam was Foreign Minister. Perhaps it was a wise decision of the Whitlam Government to be robust as it was in asserting federal power at the expense of the States. It was this action however that caused the Whitlam Government to offend the States on a Gothic scale.
Many policies were changed under the Whitlam government, many of these changes giving Australia a voice in the world at large, which did come to be listened to with genuine respect. Not least in Renouf, who ought to know, has found it possible to say that by the time Whitlam departed, "Australian-American relations were as good as they had ever been" (Parliament and Policy in Australia, 1984). In retrospect, probably the greatest achievement in foreign policy in the period 1972 to 1975 was the reassessment and consequent redefinition of Australia's foreign policy.
The Whitlam Government was able to give a new approach to our international relations, working on the assumption that 'cold war' ideologies and mentality were no longer relevant. In this light, the establishing of diplomatic relations with China, the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and North Vietnam could all be seen as viewing the world as it is. In particular, the decision to establish diplomatic relations with China, even though it involved the cessation of diplomatic relations with Taiwan, was widely acknowledged and praised. If the aim of Australia's China policy was to improve our diplomatic and trading relations with China then it would seem to have been successful. If, however, Australia's policy was aimed at reducing great power rivalries and tensions in the region, then it may not have been so successful.
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