Issues in Australian Foreign Policy January to June 2022

The start of 2022 presented unique challenges for Australia, after an end to 2021 very much muted by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated state lockdowns, most of which started to ease around late-November of that year. Gabriele Abbondanza and Thomas Wilkins, writing about the final half of 2021, talked about these key issues faced by Australia during this period, including the continuance of COVID-19, our relationship (or lack thereof) with China, climate change, our Pacific relationships, and the announcement of AUKUS.1 All of these still remain relevant and important issues, with many intensifying in the first six months of this year. But what we also have seen are new issues emerge that challenge national security and notions of a global order, as well as changes to the domestic political outlook. As 2022 began, we saw an Australia that started very much to re-enter the world stage, with international borders re-opening, and COVID-19 taking much less of a foreign policy focus. Issues such as climate change began once again to dominate, with flooding across much of Australia, and then an unprecedently hot European spring into summer. The Morrison Government's standing globally and at home on issues of climate change, following a rather disappointing COP26 summit in Glasgow, remained a significant issue for Australia. The war between Russia and Ukraine, something long predicted in intelligence circles, also started during this period. The first conflict on the European continent in over 20 years, and one involving one of the world's nuclear powers, has proved bloody, relentless, and not lacking for brutality, at least on the part of the Russians. The conflict in Ukraine has exposed the over-reliance on many European states on Russian gas, but also the willingness, or not, of Western states to lend aid to a state being unlawfully invaded. The conflict, at time of writing, is ongoing, but in the first half of the year the Ukrainian armed forces, as well as the Ukrainian people, have proved remarkably resilient. Leading into an election on May 21, there were also a large number of domestic and foreign policy developments and issues that came under the scrutiny of the campaign period. An election is always an interesting time to analyse and discuss not only the current trajectory of Australian foreign and strategic policy, but also its future possibilities. Both of the major parties, as well as many of the minor ones, released detailed plans for how they saw the future of Australia, and what the key strategic issues would be over the next term in parliament. The agreement between China and Solomon Islands received particular focus and attention by the media and political insiders, almost to the point of overbalance, but other things, such as the Australian Labor Party's (ALP) push for a First Nations foreign policy, also deserve equal attention. To paraphrase the late Terry Pratchett, the worst curse one can utter is, “may you live in interesting times”, and this most surely applies to the first half of 2022.2 To sum up all the issues in Australian foreign policy for the period of January to June 2022 is no easy task. Some key themes and issues do emerge however, as well as some interesting areas for the future. Australia's borders with the world had largely opened by January 2022. The signing of the AUKUS pact with the United States and the United Kingdom put Australia into a new security landscape, despite plunging relations with France to lows never before seen.3 Australia was re-integrating into the global economy by allowing people and goods much more freedom into and out of the country, despite the looming supply-chain issues evident during the first half of the year.4 On climate change, Australia remained as isolated as it was during the depths of 2021.5 The COP26 conference, held in Glasgow in November 2021, had massive effects and influence on international climate change discussions and debates, especially from the Morrison Government, and how the LNP approached the international community leading into 2022. The government's performance at the COP conference was criticised not just domestically in Australia, but internationally as well. In the lead up to, and following the conference, Australia's commitment to strong climate action, as well as commitments to emissions reduction, were largely panned by experts and our allies in the international community. The United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union all had at the time much more ambitious and so-called ‘serious’ policies for dealing with the issue of climate change. Even during 2021, such comments became points of tension between Australia and the international community, with the UK High Commissioner to Australia, Vicki Treadell, saying that climate change was her nation's “number one foreign policy priority”.6 These comments, and from Australia's international well into with the United States for much of this year on climate in Australia, a commitment to emissions by and the was also a to the international community, these domestic political was a of much Australia, including from in the are some the Australian political community the issue of climate change as one of rather global is a in the of the Australian policy that have to in many have to issues around climate change, and it has of our it is not a domestic but a global Pacific the of climate change as an for is not just an issue for but a national security and domestic The issue of climate change also Australia's global standing and relations with especially Australia was seen to be the climate faced by in the and of on climate change such with Australia's on not just for domestic but also as a and climate change as an issue of global policy is almost a for many leading into Australia was seen as a on climate to and to the In the 2022 the by the Morrison Government, of for the period was to climate change to for the period as the election period began, climate change became a key of the as the parties, as well as a of on the Morrison Government's commitments were strong is one other major or of which also into and across much of Australia, largely to the in the are and by climate change, and are to only more The at least people, with of in and Some remain well into including became with to not seen in over a These came just after the in that in and to of the Australian or over of the during one All of this a of a to the Australia of the 2021, change is and to have for the future an on and the global international community, can the effects that a climate is in this on the landscape, the people, and but also on Australia's and is not an issue which is to the but rather one that has To again from the Australia of the 2021, and of are to more as are more The climate as it is being in this is a current domestic and international national security for Australia to and is to be on the foreign policy for many more to In the of this international and the much of the country, the on 2022 The in this were rather for Australia, also areas of in this global security and issue and with international Australia has seen by over the years, and the has the by the in and have as have and and this is only to as and which is all but change has to Australian and with the of are to have on Australia's and and in some has by up to in the years, to the Australian of with this to over The long term are that we as a are to have to more focus and on climate change, and the effects of is an important national security and foreign policy which the and the of the only significant in the and to have seen the to issues, including the the 2022 and also to with the of of the issues and climate changes to The the climate change to as well as to the of our The of and also the climate change not just to national and but also the Australian is the of many of our to the climate and as well as relations with the These are not issues Australia in the but foreign policy and security issues that Australia Australia the and or and with our allies and not only the of the and our but also the national security and foreign policy of Australia. and are of the key areas by the as for the climate of the is international Australia to what is as as then not only we from the of and but also some of from the international community. Australia to and not and in on these issues, and focus on our and with our and allies around the The new Labor has this as a key of foreign policy as well as a key issue for the in the In the months after taking they commitment to a more ambitious emissions to the on an of of on by The also the Australian and to to such which of These have well received by our especially in the at the Pacific Islands in and Australia's commitment to the climate change around the also comments the new Australia was taking with Pacific as well as the of and with is a from the Morrison years, and is a for Australia. Pacific states remain some of our and with is to have discussions of climate action, into areas of and On Russian began an of Ukraine, to and the from and The with across large of Ukrainian especially in the across from the from the from and from the the The by Russian were and on Western that the Russian was to the Ukrainian and to have the time this a very Russia had large of Ukrainian and had its into many Ukrainian was as not only the Ukrainian but Ukrainian up the of national of also began a of the country, with more people the the first most of these and other European the war was in an Russian in the had remained and Russian were to the and in areas of and the The Ukrainian had held had to push Russian in many key and had significant Russian is not to that the war is in to but what the six months is that the of the Russian and its to an of this have in the and and a large of not only such strategic but of the of by states more is to be in some a of from largely on many Ukraine is to has to to the and has received and aid from around the in including and have with for that Russia has and with its also from the international community, the war to very much Russian relationship with the in particular is in with and on and issues of and war being Ukrainian people have the to in as of that of this has to do with the of the Ukrainian armed forces, but also of the Ukrainian war is one of a new of conflict, one global media influence is almost as important as we have seen these from the Ukrainian in media and influence to to Russian people at of Russian and the Russian intelligence and of by is of but it the new of conflict being by in and on the part of As Russia and other states in and the world to a more between states not be to of and the of media is only to the of and how states in of foreign Some of this from the Russian we have seen and well from the Ukraine has also a of such during the and is in the of not also on the of this including for in the is a that are no and by of Russian was but are also between and with in the and by As we to an of more powers, not just Russia but China and other and as many states and these is to be for of foreign Russia has also not to its in global to not only Ukraine, but also all of the states globally and and as we saw in the half of this state by Russian not only to Australian and foreign policy, but also the and the for Australia be economy is with and our is also at and has long the of but the of such across other at on and other such are of the Russian and not just to the people of Ukraine, but more In a world such are more the to Australia in to home are Australia, we have in the of Ukraine, and and also the Russian including the first under our at the end of have also the and with Western states in of Ukraine and the of our with the United States and the of the conflict on and and the global and have had large effects on Australia, and the is also the very of the international which has The global world order, on for many years, and not by the of has a of by the war in The global as and its has its in the to the war in States, including Australia, have and to Ukraine and its people, as well as the how Australia these issues as well as new changes the on Australian commitment to global international and our relationship with our The has also to with its first in May in over a all of these are a of the war in COVID-19 and other global a But they are all part of the global and domestic that Australia is also the this conflict has had on Australia's security and Russian in Ukraine, a it as a from its of or over or the China into a conflict with China, or at the least with China and the United have also the of China to this of in Ukraine, many to have the of the Russian the in is not with that in Ukraine, but these be at the of Australian Australia to and for the future of the international order, or do we a a in Morrison the to the May election in the by a number of and as to change, of and were the issues by before the all of which during the especially the with the and the from a number of over of from to COVID-19 and and issues proved to be the Morrison Government's The with in the of but the also half a as well as one to so-called almost on issues of climate change and These issues were which for a of and which on as of election not from the had large for the first time in a very long foreign policy was also at the of the election at least in the of the media and with many foreign policy and national security of to that less of this as major issue for the there are interesting about such foreign policy campaign issues are the of the and the foreign policy are also almost and we focus on such issues it is not of the Australian foreign policy issues and in and during the 2022 Some of these have international climate change the war in Ukraine, global and our relations with the But other issues received and the and but also our relationship with China, and relationship with our The key election for much of this foreign policy and was a that to have much of the in on other key election what is to be after this and do for to have a and On this we saw presented by the major The Morrison to the as an of on national security and foreign policy, as a that would to the in Australia's national and not a with the was that the was out of not only with the Australian people, but also with the international community. In this the government's the on climate change, China, and on a of other issues was with our had from of the international community, and were to Australia in the long were key which before and during the campaign that became during the of these of these on our our and the of conflict with The first of before the campaign period, to AUKUS and the of the with the something by Abbondanza and in to The between the and Australian of and of the all a in the political the by in the AUKUS and its of our with the United States and United Kingdom, during the late of the campaign to the and the Morrison Government's of the of with our national security by its of the and its of the relationship with out of the government's of the issue and its of a key The Morrison Government's of was that the was to have or such a and that the was at of about national security presented with of the Australia's or lack with the of China is one which the foreign policy campaign in as well as much of what the focus on it to foreign policy in this the of large between the and or the up around between political and the in China an almost in the of Australia that to to the Australian people, by a that saw such a as to which as it was held by the with large large in particular from this community. of this was on the of the especially that by from including that Australia for part of this and the and our The of this not the that the relationship with China, and in the China and is of foreign policy and strategic to Australia. Australia's between the as our and the United States as our in a time of is one that and the what the election was the on many key issues to the in Australia, and the the major have on this seen from the between and there was largely on On from the of the to the and to to how Australia China and the United States, there was a between major on how they would China in The on China during the a and key was an from which to push the campaign the was out of and and the was on national and would not Australia in particular is by the foreign policy issue to during the campaign the war in that of the Solomon security with the worst Australian foreign policy in the the by the and a that lead to war by the the in Australia to Solomon Islands signing a security pact with China to Solomon Islands and Even the that such a is at the very least not for Solomon Islands it is to with on Australia's comments that such a would Australia by allowing in the Pacific at that it a of in the or at the very worst end of the that it was the end of our and and that the only would be an Australian of the country, Australian and talked at the Solomon Islands rather with and of Pacific were as always in the Australia's of the Pacific is much more as it has the in the Australia not on on Pacific on issues that Australia large about a but has long an that states Solomon Islands to out The of the between the on and are of less to the in Australia. the in which China has an almost in foreign policy with in the to from the Some of this has but the very in which about China is and our in the and future To be China is not the Pacific as a and and there are large and to Australian security and our especially we are into a conflict over or the China But the by in this about the more of out to of in an many of the and to the Solomon Islands the of domestic in the and the of its for a focus on China is very much an important part of foreign policy and security in this country, more during an An and China challenges for this country, as the and in the To Pacific from the to the by Australia, and to as from and is not only to do a to the and the but also to Australian foreign policy to all that foreign policy was a key of the election in much of the and on the and The as a in foreign policy and national Labor as and a new of China still in the as of and of in in is a about from The but it the of around China during the the the new Labor has a many foreign policy challenges to The first and is Australia's international with allies and including the and as well as key relationships, including France and change also be on the The war in Ukraine, and the effects on the global economy this has had as a also large for an Government, especially as the domestic economy a there is a to up Australia's international and Australian aid and the Australia and around the As we into an of change in foreign policy, it be interesting to what the key issue from the election also something very in Australian foreign policy in the of the was an announcement by then that would First Nations foreign which the and of the world's into the we to the and the of the of and the election this is the policy of the Australian a a long time in the for Australia, is much more a change of or change in points to First is an policy of which not of all in this the of a First Nations there would be an of First Nations that would to from First Nations how our and can be into our how to First Nations in Australia's international and to a new of which and First Nations is very much a policy that not only to the but also is about to and on policies in with an to its a change in the of Australian foreign announcement not the of attention as many of the other foreign policy issues to up during the from writing on the and some media very to much about the current of Australian foreign policy, and the foreign policy and how First Nations are has a long of and of First Nations such and not only our unique and but also the we have to to the First Nations have a long of with the international including as First Nations to European during the and such as the of the with the of in the First Nations are seen as we are not seen as political by the Australian and are not on and in foreign policy is seen to have of policy announcement this of that such a focus by Australia would be and and that First Nations do not deserve focus our foreign policy, an for First Nations These not only the and of a First Nations foreign policy, but also Australian and international Australia has an for and an for and an for and including the United States, have had for a of issues including people and The of an for First Nations issues, presented these not the there is some to the that there are very in the or of foreign policy on issues of and First have the that the in this all in is also not something many to or that people are the have of the or are First and only one in a and is First As it not be to what is a First Nations foreign policy, how do we and what it to First Nations globally have a of and of the world around and have which have the to not only First Nations in the global but also the of These of not seen as by and have a to be by in and in On this continent there are of many with and that all and But of these is part of a with not only but and with this a in a large of and that are of and political and of these at the as political on to are to country, and Australia, the is to of and but still the to to, and is, as some have an not of in many of these to people First there are many to taking First Nations to and foreign policy, the we such to Australia, we an to not only First Nations of how Australia its foreign policy, but also an to First Nations in on such key First Nations have the and relations in the in a state of with but also with the and and to and despite to our on such as for country, and how to in have for Australia as we the of a climate and world order, the of which First with our allies such as which has its First Nations foreign policy, and the United States, all with First Nations as well as the can from and of First Nations with these states on issues such as the on the of and First Nations not only at but with our Pacific and allies on challenges and First Nations foreign policy, is of to all of on the in also our and one of the of by China in the in our All of these are just at the of this new in Australian foreign policy, and are areas the current policy is to in a which with our In the as this of First Nations foreign policy more what we at all the foreign policy is and the to in with First Nations can be in the in First Nations with a of and can be by a on a First Nations and and can be First Nations at the and not just First Nations not at the COP26 conference in First Nations are international or or well by Australia at international some First Nations not to be by the Australian as they do not in is and a large of to as a and have which and is what is to to more just But a First Nations foreign policy is not in this First Nations can and as with other First The Australian state also a foreign policy that and First The new has a to global it to First Nations and our and allowing to a in world one was to sum up the first half of 2022 in Australian foreign policy in a it would be that curse or we do live in interesting issues on the international during the six months that Australia's to and also the global world and how Australian policy to be The of the election in May of this and the change of it with that much of what during this period was the of and the that between the major during such period. on issues of climate change or the the COVID-19 with the war between Russia and Ukraine, has the world order, as well as global and the world was by The election not only out the of political that such but it also a and with China to some the end of the Morrison domestic The new many challenges in the months and and time it is to In an election foreign policy was at the we also saw about the of First Nations our foreign policy, to domestic of a to and change on First Nations domestic The of this is on a of but the change in is not only a but many would a very change not only the but also the of the country, we an Australian more to issues of climate change, more to and and more of Australia into the global it was under the and Morrison Australian foreign policy is to only more as these global out under the of a new Labor by Australian as part of the Australian agreement the of Australian