11 - South-East Asia

Summary

One of the pitfalls of writing contemporary history is that changes tend to appear more significant at the time than when viewed with the benefit of hindsight. There is a continuity in any country’s perception of the world – shaped not only by its geo-political situation but also by its cultural and political traditions and its collective aspirations, fears and prejudices – which is reflected in its relations with other countries and which transcends changes in government. The election in December 1972 of the first Australian Labor Government for 23 years clearly did not usher in a new millenium in relations with South-East Asia. Indeed, future historians may consider many of the changes it made as simply an acceleration of those begun by the Gorton and McMahon Governments or as responses to new situations in the region which would have been made by whatever party was in power. But what should not be underestimated is therather elusive, yet nonetheless important, changes in tone and sympathy which the Labor Government brought to Australia’s involvement in the region.