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relationship Australia

United States relationship with Australia

The relationship between the United States and Australia has existed for more than 100 years. The United States and Australia sent troops to assist in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion in China back in 1900-1901, and fought together on the Western Front in World War I (Vaughn 9). In 1951 the Australia-New Zealand-United States (ANZUS) Treaty was signed.

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The bond developed further when Australia was concerned with the Britishs ability to assist in defense against Japan and the United States was skeptical of the growing power of the Soviet Union. The ANZUS treaty and the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement have kept relations on beneficial and growing terms. Since WWII, Australia has been involved in the majority of the U.S.s major wars, even if they disagreed or didnt approve. Although the United States and Australia share different views on several issues between themselves and other countries, the political alignment has enhanced the relationship and continues to be positive and mutually beneficial. In 2005 a Lowy Institute poll of Australian public opinion found that 58 percent viewed the United States in positive terms (Capling 132). Australia and the U.S. have similar histories based on both formerly being British colonies. The connection and similar origins date back to the British Empire. Similar languages, cultures, and religions have been in the United States and Australia since their first English settlements. Much like the Indians in the U.S., the first people to inhabit Australia were Aboriginies. Displaced from much of their land, they were forced to make way for the English settlers and other immigrants. Australia is slightly smaller than the contiguous lower 48 United States and has a population of approximately 22 million (Vaughn 5). The U.S. and Australia share some political similarities as well. Both are federated nations with an elected House of Representatives and Senate. Unlike the U.S., Australia has a Parliament that the Prime Minister answers to and can be voted out by for any reason. Contrarily, the U.S. President can not be voted out except by impeachment with a kind of trial. Although, the U.S. is a republic and Australia is a constitutional monarchy, both have a written constitution. Some aspects of Australias political system are derived from England while others from the U.S. Australias

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recent relations with certain parts of Asia has improved and they intend on continuing to nurture that relationship. Between 1939 and 1945, Australia fought two wars; one against Germany as a part of the British Commonwealth and one against Japan in an alliance with the U.S. Australia, due to its location on the southern outskirts of East Asia, has always felt vulnerable and potentially threatened by its neighbors. Australias strategy has always been to seek protection in powerful allies. Great Britain provided the protection that Australia desired with their Royal Navy for many years. By 1942 it was clear to Australia that Britain was unable to provide the security they needed for their country. Prime Minister John Curtain transferred Australias primary military strategic responsibilities to the United States. General Douglas MacArthur set up headquarters in Brisbane and had command over Australian forces until the end of World War II. These alliances lead to the ANZUS Treaty of 1951, a more formal expression of the relationship between the two countries which also included New Zealand. This treaty implies that the countries will support one another and consult in the occasion of apparent threat and makes it clear to potential aggressors that the countries do not stand alone. Since then, Australia has aided the U.S. in several wars including the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. and the wars in Afghanistan, Vietnam and Iraq. This treaty also encompasses their similar views against the violence which stems from anti-western Islamic extremists and terrorists. As a result of the flourishing relationship between the U.S. and Australia a group called Australia-U.S. Ministerial was developed. Also known as AUSMIN, the group meets every year to consult with each other on topics such as politics, defense, trade, possible threats and developing improvements. Current issues being discussed were that of Cyberspace. In 2007 Australia and the United States signed a Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty which was then ratified in 2010. The United States provided

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Australia with 50 percent of their war fighting assets. Australia benefits by maintaining their needed allied protection and the U.S. is able to expand the strategic locations of the military forces, overall continuing a mutually beneficial relationship. In our continued relationship with Australia, President Obama recently reaffirmed and extended the bilateral ANZUS alliance. This reassurance included an increase rotation of United States military in northern Australia. In the 1930s trades between America and Australia were generally non-beneficial for Australia. The Smoot-Hawley tariffs savaged Australian exports (Welsh 453). The general view of Australia was portrayed as a land mass dependent on the British and of no real monetary value for the American trade economy (Welsh 422). Australia is considered a second power or low economic trading partner. All trade agreements with Australia are negotiated with little benefit to Australia due to their lower economic standing. The U.S. has used their hegemonic power to their advantage by placing agricultural subsidies for domestic agriculture and showing a lack of reciprocity and fairness. While the U.S. is one of Australias most important trade partners, Australia was hardly on the radar for U.S. trades accounting for only approximately 0.5% of U.S. imports. One area of Australias dissatisfaction with the agreement stems from very high levels of U.S. agricultural protectionism and its unfair trade policies that infringe upon Australias ability to advance its agricultural exports to the United States. (Capling 146). It has also been perceived that the United States has used their military defense protection in Australia as a bargaining chip, or leverage, in trade negotiations. The imbalance of the trade relationship caused feelings of animosity from the Australian people for many years. In 1999, when the United States put restrictions on imported Australian and New Zealand lamb, Australia pleaded their case with the World Trade Organization which ruled in their favor. At that point Australia viewed the actions of the United States as such of a bully that soured the trade relationship.

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During President Bushs term, his chief trade advisor, Robert Zoellick, worked with Australias Prime Minister, John Howard to negotiate a strategic, free trade deal between the countries. The main topics of concern were Australias exported meats, dairy, and sugar. In 2005 the United States and Australia entered into the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement, also known as AUSFTA. Since the establishment of the AUSFTA, the exports and imports of products and materials have steadily increased. Both the United States and Australia have included and rapidly increased bilateral trades with China. Currently Australia and the United States are working on the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement to promote trade and investment liberalization in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2011 the Gillard Government created a new foreign policy called the White Paper. This was basically a blue print for Australia which identified creation of more opportunities with Asia states. Australia has recently, in the past few years, seen a rise in trade and economic partnerships with China. WTO has to do a better job enforcing and regulating the states with complete fairness and equal representation in regards to FTAs and NATO has to better assist in preventing in national and state Wars. Australias alliance with the United States has developed with time. Individuals perspectives and motives will alter with new technologies, changes in political figures, and the amount of reciprocity given on both sides. I believe the similarities in cultures, language, history and overall interests between the United States and Australia will remain the same. Australia will continue to need a powerful ally to feel secure and as a result the U.S. will have their loyalty. Because of this, the relationship will continue to have differences but maintain for decades to come.

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References

Vaughn, Bruce. Australia: Background and U.S. Relations Congressional Research Services 7-5700 (2012) http://www.crs.gov

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Welsh, Frank. Australia: A new History of the Great Southern Land. The Overlook Press, Peter Mayer Publishers, Inc. 2006 Atkinkson, Joel. Australian Support for Independence Australian Journal of Politics and History Volume 57, (2011) 68-85 Beeson, Mark. Bush and Asia: Americas Evolving Relations with East Asia. Asia Pacific Series Routledge 2006 Higgott, Richard and Malbasic, Ivona. Political Consequences of Anti-Americanism. Taylor & Francis 2008