Allied and Addicted

Arguing that Australia’s development as an independent nation has stalled, this study examines how the country’s policies on foreign affairs, trade, human rights, and the environment seem to be uncritically allied to those of the United States. By behaving in such a submissive fashion, this work argues that Australia has besmirched its reputation and that being so closely identified with current American policies harms the continent’s interests. Challenging many of the assumptions of conservative policy makers, this discourse highlights the need for informed choices in the debate about Australia’s place in the world.