Australian Election Special

July 25, 2010

By The Diplomat

What do you make of the urban-rural divide in Australia? Is this a pressing concern that the next government will have to address?

I think the ‘urban-rural divide’ is more a question of those in rural and regional areas seeking access to the same sorts of services that people in the city get. I think the situation in Australia is not so much of divide but one of making sure there’s equity in services.

There’s an emerging debate about decentralisation in Australia and stopping big cities growing, and having more people living in remote and rural areas, but that is a situation that I think is going to take some years to develop. The situation of the rural divide is one that I think relates to attitudes to refugees, to climate change, and so on. I think it’s more about a change in perceptions rather than a factor of concern to the Australian electorate. Compared to the United States, the proportion of people living in rural areas is significantly smaller, so this has nowhere near the same impact.

How much of a debate do you expect over Australia’s place in the world, and over the international role a power like Australia should be playing?

I think the questions of foreign policy during federal elections are of concern to the policy elites. At the moment, the only impact of foreign policy questions will be connected to those about asylum seekers and refugees.

Many of Kevin Rudd's initiatives that he pursued in relation to the Asian region, for example, have been barely noticed by the electorate. Most people would be unaware of Rudd’s desire for Australia to get a seat on the UN Security Council. A more critical approach to Israel I think some Australians would be aware of, but again for most of them it would barely register.

I think Australians understand that Asia, especially China, is very important to Australia’s economic well-being. I think many Australians would understand that China has received the bulk of attention of foreign policymakers, compared to Indonesia, Japan, India or South Korea. I think people would also understand that India is increasingly becoming a significant player. But again, all of these things are at the margin. You wouldn’t expect foreign policy to be a major issue at the election. Also, the main contours of foreign policy are basically unchanged. So, by and large the United States is seen as a key ally by the two major parties. The Labor Party is also usually perceived traditionally to be weaker on foreign policy, so they will try and stick firmly to the centre.

What do you make of Australia’s bid for a UN Security Council seat?

From my personal perspective it was a waste of time—it was grandiose grandstanding by Kevin Rudd to basically appease his own personal desires. What it would have required is Australia to make too many bargains against its own self-interests. It would have required Australia to perhaps be weak in our strong stance on human rights, and it would have required Australia to perhaps start distancing itself from the US alliance, in order to appease countries in Africa and Asia. So I think it was always a folly and I’d be surprised if Prime Minister Gillard pursued it with the same intensity that Kevin Rudd did.

Interview by Jenghiz von Streng.