Page 35 - IB January 2022

Opinion Opinion

bombs in the past. Determinism alone, however, is incomplete in framing
In the interest of clarity and empathy, from Australia’s foreign policies. There is the will of the Australian people as a
perspective, both AUKUS and the Indo-Pacific push have whole for example, that needs to be considered. Furthermore,
been instigated in the context of the country’s geopoliti- Australia is a PIF member – a foundation member of the club
cal considerations. If geopolitics is the politics of especially with effect from its establishment in 1971. Such membership
international relations as influenced by geographical factors, fundamentally epitomises unity of purposes and minds. This de-
we can then start to appreciate where Australia is com- serves celebration and solidarity. Pacific regionalism, embodied
ing from. Note that geographical factors would comprise by PIF, is the collective - the Blue Pacific Continent – its current
Australia’s physical features and human activities as they moniker - that elicits such celebrated support. It is not cricket.
affect and are affected by these, including the distribution In this context, Australia’s geopolitics would need to be
of populations and resources, and political and economic tempered with a proper dose of equity to enable a vital and
activities. functional regionalism to prevail. In reality, Australia has
Note further that these geographical factors essentially already started in this direction by way of its Step Up, soft
limit the choices that a country makes, to the extent that power initiatives and Vuvale arrangements. Its Kava Importa-
a country becomes a prisoner of its geography. Tim Marshall tion Scheme, started on 1 December, will include non-PACER
discussed this phenomenon in his book, Prisoners of Geogra- Plus signatories like Fiji and Papua New Guinea. Moreover, its
phy (2015). research on climate-change-resistant ‘food of the gods’, dalo,
Moreover, other commentators have posed the question is going to benefit many PICs as well.
whether it is simply geopolitics when it comes to configuring However, more can be done. Australia needs to rethink its
international relations. The ongoing Big Power Rivalry in the climate change policies to be consistent with those of the PICs
Pacific Webinar Series’ ‘Australia in the Pacific’ instalment and thus with PIF’s Boe Declaration. Apart from equity, it just
posed the question: Is it Simply Geo-politics?’ last Septem- makes a lot of sense from solidarity perspective and Pacific
{ ”Australia also needs to temper its geopolitics under Indo-Pacific/AU- {

KUS to allow breathing space for PICs to determine their respective
China, et al, policies. This would necessarily mean a re-examination of
its “deepest, oldest instinct in the South Pacific: strategic denial, striv-
ing to exclude other major powers from the region.” This respects the
sovereignty of each PIC and honours the solidarity of the collective.
Furthermore, the larger familyhood implied by the Vuvale arrangement
demands this.”

ber. Presenter Dr Michael O’Keefe concluded: “No it’s not regionalism. COP26 exposed the lack of regional unity on this
simply geopolitics, but geopolitics is more important than matter.
ever.” Australia also needs to temper its geopolitics under Indo-
Tim Marshall has followed up, this year, with another pub- Pacific/AUKUS to allow breathing space for PICs to determine
lication: ‘The Power of Geography – Ten Maps that Reveal their respective China, et al, policies. This would necessarily
the Future of our World after. It is “an urgent study of the mean a re-examination of its “deepest, oldest instinct in the
forces shaping our future on earth and beyond.” Interest- South Pacific: strategic denial, striving to exclude other major
ingly, Australia is the first of the ten maps/countries/regions powers from the region.” This respects the sovereignty of each
profiled in this sequel to the 2015 bestseller. PIC and honours the solidarity of the collective. Furthermore,
Prima facie, it could be said that Australia’s foreign poli- the larger familyhood implied by the Vuvale arrangement de-
cies are essentially deterministic – configured principally by mands this.
its geopolitics. To some regional commentators, such may All this can be suitably framed into the ‘2050 Strategy’ that is
be best framed by Don Bradman’s cricket citation: ‘Play it yet to be finalised.
tough, all the way. Grind them into the dust.’ Considering
Australia’s tough stance on especially climate change, and editor@islandsbusiness.com
its inconsistency with the position of the rest of the Pacific
Islands Forum (PIF), one can be forgiven for taking such a The author is a former Fijian Ambassador and Foreign Minister
position. and runs his own consultancy company in Suva, Fiji.

Islands Business, January 2022 35