Doubts over Australia's Asian role
Doubts over Australia's Asian role
Despite assurances from Australian Prime Minister-elect John Howard that he will continue the country's business push into Asia, Saturday's election result represents a mystery package for developing countries of the region, Thailand included.
Mr. Howard's conservative coalition clobbered the ruling Labor Party which is likely to lose 33 seats in the 148-seat House of Representatives.
"It's just a fact of life that there is an immediacy and there's an opportunity about our relations with our region," Mr. Howard told a press conference yesterday. "I intend to maintain the momentum begun long ago by prime ministers on both sides of the political fence."
The statement was consistent with promises made before the election. But it is not so consistent with a history of statements made during his Liberal Party's 13 years in opposition.
These include Mr. Howard's own controversial remarks in the 1980s about Asian immigration to Australia, for which he has since apologized.
He has also criticized Mr. Keating's emphatic push into Asia, but now claims his past will not harm dealings in Asia and expects good relations with neighboring leaders.
It is ironic that a major reason for Mr. Howard's win was that he was keen not to make mistakes and promised to continue many of the policies of the previous government, unlike predecessor John Hewson who made a muff of the 1992 election by promising radical changes.
But it must be said that former Prime Minister Paul Keating was more sympathetic to Asia and considered APEC of utmost importance.
Foreign Minister-designate Alexander Downer has discarded Australia's aim under Mr. Keating to become a part of Asia but said stronger ties with Malaysia were a high priority.
Mr. Howard will tread carefully, but unless he has been sheltered through too many years in opposition, he must realize the critical importance of the emerging economic dynamos of Southeast Asia, particularly as other regions become more reliant on trade blocs under the changing face of globalization.
It may take time before this region is given the same amount of priority as it was under Mr. Keating and former Foreign Minister Gareth Evans.
But for Australia's sake, it would be unwise to waste too much time to realize where its future prosperity lies.
If time is allowed to lapse, others will seize the opportunities and Australia will be the only loser.
-- The Bangkok Post