Australia's John Howard assesses Asia

By Dewi Anggraeni

MELBOURNE (JP): On April 3 Alexander Downer spent half an hour with former prime minister Paul Keating, discussing a strategy suitable for Australia's engagement in Asia. A short time later, to journalists who bombarded him with questions, Downer explained that the present government recognized Keating's contacts and expertise in Asia and Asian matters.

The conservative Liberal-National Coalition win in the federal elections last month has uncovered a new cultural landscape in Australia, or rather, a regression, slight though it may be, towards the old Eurocentricism.

While agents of change abound in Australia, it is becoming apparent that change, especially social and cultural, should not be effected in a hurry. In 1972, Labor's PM Gough Whitlam came to power and began to bring Australia into a new era. He cut the umbilical cord with the United States, and resumed diplomatic recognition of China. In 1975, sacking by the Governor General aside, he lost the elections to the Coalition.

Entering the 1990s, Labor's PM Paul Keating with his remarkable foresight, saw that economically Australia belonged in its geographic region, not a pathetic appendage to Britain or the United States. He drove, with gusto, Australian businesses to join the economic regionalization. This was seen, by the ultra- conservatives, as `Asianization'. In 1996 Keating lost the elections to the Coalition.

While gifted with foresight, Keating, and his ministers, failed to convey to the Australian population the urgency of regionalization for Australia. It was obvious by the voters' rejection last month that not enough of the population perceived the benefit of being part of a booming Asia. The push towards Asia was seen in less than favorable light. People responded emotionally, rather than rationally.

In the months leading to the elections there were signs pointing to the re-energizing of the `purist' elements in Australia. These people are suspicious of multiculturalism, uncomfortable with Asian migrants seemingly flooding the suburbs, and wanted a reversal of the Asia trend in the country.

The current prime minister, John Howard, is walking on a tightrope. He is no doubt aware that a fair number of those who voted him in did so because of his stance against multiculturalism and misgivings about Asianization, and his leaning towards Europe and the United States. Yet the fact is that economically Australia has no choice but to continue to trade with Asian, American and European markets, which are becoming less accessible by the minute.

For a government seemingly so unprepared for the Asia push, the Howard government has done admirably well by securing a stop- over visit by Malaysia's Dr. Mahathir. This was especially significant since the relationship between former prime minister Keating and Mahathir, until few moments before the elections, was not the best.

On a personal level, it was very sensible. As Dr. Harold Crouch, senior research fellow at the Australian National University observes, the gesture has sent a message to Mahathir that Australia regards him as significant and important. And he was able to accept this compliment, at no cost to himself.

On a national level, it may have limited usefulness. It is well known in Malaysia, that there is an understanding that Mahathir may stand down to let his deputy Anwar Ibrahim to take the rein, even before the next elections. Ibrahim himself is not a stranger to Australia. He has in fact made several private visits to this country.

So relationship between the two countries has always been good. Crouch emphasizes: "The fundamentals of the relationship has never been disturbed. Educational exchange, joint military exercise and trade, went up during the relationship crisis between Keating and Mahathir. In the last three and four years graphs in trade went straight up. Australia is actively marketing education in Malaysia." Dr. Crouch adds that those who didn't know politics and only saw activities in trade and other areas between Australia and Malaysia, wouldn't know there was any crisis.

Malaysia is aware that it is expedient to buy Australian made patrol boats because they are the same models used by the Australian navy. This ensures that there is a guaranteed supply of spare parts. This cannot be taken for granted with Germany and the U.S., who are producing patrol boats for export markets. Naturally if they stop selling the boats, they will eventually stop selling the parts. And with joint military exercises, compatibility of patrol boats is surely desirable.

One thing the Howard government seems to have learned is, whatever it does, it has to have community support. In a speech to the University of Sydney mid-February, the then Opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman, Alexander Downer, stressed that fact. While stating that a Howard administration would regard engagement with Asia as its highest foreign policy priority, the challenge is to ensure that the Australian public is encouraged to support this process. "The rhetoric of the Australian government will mean nothing if the government's strategy does not have widespread community support", said Downer.

Downer's own rhetoric then was, `Engagement with Asia, but with less pizzazz'. The challenge now is to clarify what that means. Maintaining a low profile? Can Australia, especially this government, with its reputation of reluctance towards Asia, afford to continue in this mode and be taken seriously in Asia?

Taking advantage of Paul Keating's experience in dealing with APEC and the region may be a step in the right direction for the Howard government.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Melbourne.