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Federation
Our first PM was Edmund Barton. Early threats included France, Russia's expansions into Asia in the 1800's, Yellow Peril, German expansions in New Guinea. Australia was under threat as it had large amounts of land but only a small population to defend it in comparison to the European Powers. Although we had our own government, foreign policy was still entirely controlled by Britain, and we were just pretty much still a colony. -
White Australia Policy
Pretty mcuh barred non europeans from entering Australia.It containted the Immigration restriction act which said the following couldnt enter, people who didnt pass the dictation test, any person that the immigration officer thought would be a burden, an idiot, diseaced people, prostitutes, criminals, people comming in for cheap labour. It also containted Pacific Island Labourours Act, which deported all pacific islander plantation workers -
Anglo-Japanese Alliance
Alliance 'tween weebland and Britannia, Australia was fearful of the alliance as they thought that Japan was a threat to Australia, and that Britain by making an alliance with Japan was not able to protect them. -
The Great White Fleet
Invited to Australia in 1908 by Prime Minister Deakin, in an apparent sign of dwindling confidence in the protective capacity of the British navy. Deakin was pushing for Australia to have its own navy, rather than commit to the funding of the British Navy. This was a rare step of independence during a time of great dependance on Britain. -
Naval Defence Act 1910
Australia didn't like the idea that its only form of a navy was through them paying into Britains naval fund, and having their navy act as an umbrella navy for the whole empire. Deakin instead sought for Australia to have its own navy with the NDA 1910, this gave Australia its own navy and its own naval board. Although it was decided that Australia would control the ships during peace time, and Australia would control them druing war. -
Period: to
World War 1
Between the triple alliance and the triple entente, Australia was dragged into it on account of Britain being in charge of our foreign policy. Asshole Hughes tried to bring in conscription just like Britain had, however this divide Australia and it was not passed. Hughes did however, manage to get Australia entry into the War Cabinet, giving australia a voice in future major imperial foregin policy decisions. -
Versailles/Paris Peace Conference
Held at Versailles australia was represented by asshole hughes. Australia was granted the status of a seperate nation at the treaty not just a sub-britain. We were also granted membership in the leauge of nations. Hughes in interest of the white australia policy declined the racial equality clause. He also gained australia control over New Guinea -
Balfour Declaration
Issued during the 1926 Imperial Conference, it pretty much said that all countries within the british empire were equal, it also said that Britian could not pass laws regaurding the dominions without their consent. Due to the Balfour declaration Australia appointed it first own Governor General, Isaac Isaacs. This however was not legally binding. -
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
An Imperial Japanese idea which called for a bloc of Japanese aligned nations. It wanted cultural and economic Unity in East Asia. It sought to rid Asia of the western powers as well as give Japan control of Asia's resources. This lead to the fear of Asians and communism after the war. -
2(Isaac)
Prime Minister Scullin appointed his own Governor General Isaac Isaac's with much resistance from Britain and the Australian people, this showns how Australia wasn't being Britains lil bitch. -
Statute of Westminster
Although this was not initially adopted by Australia it contained three main points. Britain could no longer make laws for Australia, and Australia could now make laws that contradicted those of Britain. It essentially revoked the Doctrine of Repungency which is the opposite of the fisrt two points. Australia now also held its own foreign policy This was also the first document to outline Australia as its own dominion. And it only had to be adopted by the dominion when they wanted it. -
Period: to
Second World War
Menzies was Prime Minister when Australia was thrust into the second world war through Britain, Menzies accepted the fact that Australia was at war but made no promises of troops. The government was rather anxious to commit to the war. The government delayed action as this time Australia was under threat from Japan. We were relying on Britain to defend singapore from the Japanese to keep Australia safe but this didnt happen so we had to turn to america -
Menzies resigns
Menzies after losing the support of his party and the Australian people due to his cautious nature surrounding the second world war resigned in favour of John Curtin, who after an election became the next Prime Minister and Australia's World War 2 leader. -
Curtin asks America for help
In an address to the people Curtin publically asks America for help in dealing with the Japanese conflict, this is a huge deal as it shows taht AUstralia had lost faith in Britain, "I make it quite clear that Australia looks to America, free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom. -
Adoption of the Statue of Westminster
Australia was reluctant to adopt the statute of westminster because we all had the, if it aint broke dont fix it attitude. eventually during WW2 when Australia was frustrated at Britians lack of concern for Australia did they adopt the policy. -
Fall of Singapore and the bombing of Darwin
Singapore was Britains stronghold in the east, when japan took it Australia was left open to attack from japan. 4 Days after it fell Japan bombed Darwin, after this Australia began to look to the US as they knew Britain couldn't defend them from Japan. It fell so easily as Singapore was outfitted to defend against a naval attack, however, the Japanese managed to launch an attack from the land through Malaysia taking Singapore by surprise -
Curtin Dies
After the mounting stress of running the nation Curtin dies and is replaced by Doc Herbert Evatt and Ben Cheifley. Evatt Pushed to have Australia be granted its own foreign policy -
UN Foundation
Herbert Evatt foreign minister of Australia after Curtin's death olayed a major role in the foundation of the United Nations and helped to put Australia on the international stage, he was known as a champion of the smaller nations and campaigned to give the smaller nations a larger say in the UN. He also contributed to the UN Declaration of human rights and was the only Australian to be the president of the UN General Assembly. He was also responsible for organizing ANZUS and Columbo -
Columbo Plan
It was a plan to educate the Asian nations agaisnt communism, it set up funded schools in asia to subtly teach against the perils of communism, and it brought students from asian nations over to australia to learn about how good capitalism is, however this didnt work cause most of the students were upper class and didnt like communism anyway as a result of this. -
1951 Refugee Convention
pretty much said that the globe needs to work together to help refugees, -
ANZUS
After Evatt pushed to have an alliance with the US Due to the spread of communism and the domino theory ANZUS was passed. It was passed however, after his term by his successor Percy Spender. ANZUS was non committing meaning that the parties only had to consult eachother if one of them are threatened. Australia wanted a proper alliance, but america who was dedicated to rebuilding japan did not want such a strong comitment. -
SEATO treaty
It was created so that there would be a proper treaty dealing with Communism in China, it was signed by France Britain America Australia New Zealand, Thailand, Phillipeans and Pakistan, only 3 Asian countries signed it. It was stronger than ANZUS and binding so members HAD to come to the defence of other memebers agaisnt communists. America would only sign if at least 1 european country would help, they would only provide air and sea, it would only join agaisnt communist aggression. -
Vietnam War
Menzies sent men to contribute in the vietnam war, with the communists vs the good guys. The vietnam war was later furthur embraced by Harrold Holt with his All the way with LBJ mindset. Conscription was also brought in for the Vietnam war in 1964, we had national service prior to this but not full scale conscription where men could be sent away. -
ASEAN
The Association of South Eastern Nations was an intergovernmental association with the aims of promoting political, economic and social cooperation and regional stability between its jointed nation. It pretty much promoted trade and got all the Asian countries to tell each other what they were doing. Australia committed funds to this for the improvement of relations with Asia -
Whitlam visited china
he was opposition leader at the time, he visited china, it was pretty good -
Whitlam
Whitlam brought in revolutionary changed for Australia and its foregin policy, he was the first to recognise Communist China, Withdrew the troops from vietnam, pulls out of forward defence, stopped the white australia policy. He also protested the US bombings on vietnam, and abolished conscription, as well as a bunch of native title stuff. -
Fraser Government
After the Whitlam dismissal, the Fraser government takes over. this is important as he welcomes Vietnamese refugees with open arms as he feels that we were partially responsible for their plight. This is against the opinions of both government and the Australian people, he starts ofshore refugee procession plants, meaning that they open sites where people can apply to be refugees in australia in other countries. He also finished abolishing white australia policy. -
Keating
He brought in mandatory detention, all people without a valid visa needed to be detained while their refugee request was processed. This was to try and stem the flow of refugees. This happened under the migration ammendment act 1992. -
Tampa Incident
The Australian government saw the perfect opportunity to bring in its hardline approach when a Norweigian freighter the Tampa brought in hundreds of refugees. The Australian government told him he couldnt bring them to Australia, there was a standoff as the governmnet wouldnt let him in, and the captain wouldn't turn around, eventually the government worked outa . deal with Naru, to have the refugees processed there. -
Border Protection Bill 2001
Passed by the howard government during the Tampa incident, it began operation relex with allowedt eh military to commander ships and intervene more aggressively, from this point asylum seeker boats were known as Suspected Illegal Entry Vessels (SIEV's). It also marked the beginning of the pacific solution where asylum seekers were deported to naru or peter island for processing. Also brought in TPV. -
Children Overboard
SIEV IV was seen entering australian waters, but then it sunk, the navy had to pick up all the people.Peter Reith the defence minister then made up the rumour that the people on board were threatening to throw their children overboard (I assume). This swayed the publics opinions infavour to the Howard governments strict policy on refugees, but shit went down when everyone found out the children overboard incident never happened. it became known as a certain maratime incident CMI -
SIEV X
An asylum seeker boat in international waters that sunk resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people. The controversy stems from the fact that australia was really close and the best equipt to help, but it is beleived that they didnt allowing many people to die to reienforce their hard stance on the refugee crisis -
RUDDY
Rudd won the election with heap of reforms on the forefront of his mind, he wanted the end the pacific solution and process in australia, remove the TPVs, Limit the length of detention, return the management of the detention cneters to the government, as a result of these laxes on the policy there was a surge in asylum seekers, this was no popular with the voters as it was very expensive, -
Oceanic Viking
Australian custons ship, oceanic viking, picked up 78 refugees in international waters and took them to the closest port in indonnesia, they refused to get off the boat until they were gauranteed entry into austalia. they were eventually taken to naru for processing. By this point in time the public had lost confidence in rudd for his failing policy -
Kevy gits shiv'd
after much failing refugee policy kevin gets shived by julia who reforms the system. She attemtped and failed to set up a detention center in east timor, she didnt want to set up a detention center in naru as the last government got in under kevin by saying they would shut that down, they instead tried the malaysia solution where they swap, they would give 800 asylum seekers for 4000 refugees, but this recieved backlash casue it was dumb and maylays wasnt a UN refugee signatory -
Kevvys Kelvin Grove Komeback