Australia and the world, prologue and prospects

Abstract

In December 1988, as part of Australia's Bicentennial activities, the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre held a major international conference which was designed to take stock of Australia's current defence and security circumstances, in the light of both the last 200 years of history and relevant regional and global security developments, and assess our future prospects. It was the most ambitious conference organised by the Centre, and was reckoned to have been extremely successful. This volume consists of the revised and edited versions of papers prepared for that conference. The security environment which faces Australia as it enters the third century of its European settlement is increasingly complex and uncertain. Bipolarity is now history. Other powers, such as Japan, China and India, will be increasingly active in the region. Security is becoming more multi-dimensional, with the military dimension decreasing in significance relative to economic and environmental concerns. Political, economic and technological change will be more dynamic. The management of this new security environment will not be easy. It requires the careful and considered marshalling of economic and diplomatic resources together with military capabilities. Australia's influence in the world will inevitably be modest. Securing our country's future will be a challenge to our wit and ingenuity - which makes the excercise an interesting and exciting prospect.