HISTORY REVISION

AUSTRALIA AS A GLOBAL CITIZEN

THE UNITED NATIONS
PARTS TO THE UN
The United Nations has 6 main parts:
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Representatives from all member states
UNs main discussion forum
THE SECURITY COUNCIL
Five permanent members
10 members with 2 year terms
Responsible for maintaining international peace and security
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC)
54 members with 3 year terms
Organises UNs social and economic program
Promotes human rights
THE TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL
Established to administer trust territories
Five permanent members of the Security Council
Convened if required, the Council has not been in operation since 1994
THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Judicial organ of the UN
15 independent judges with nine year terms.
THE SECRETARIAT
Does the administrative work of the UN
Headed by a Secretary-General who is the main spokesperson of the UN.
The Secretary-General has a five year term which can renewed indefinitely
AUSTRALIAS ROLE IN THE UNITED NATIONS
Australia played a vital role in the establishment of the United Nations and in its early years of operation, as it was one
of its founding members but also partaking in its programs, and is an active member in its operations.
Australia helped drew up the policies, powers and principles which would form the UN.
Doctor Evatt led Australias delegation to the San Francisco Conference. He supported the participation of smaller
countries in the discussions and decision making about the principles, powers and policies which would form the basis
of the United Nations.
Dr Evatts role as the President of the General Assembly from 1948-49, played a key role in the formation of Israel and
was the first chairperson of its Atomic Energy Commission. Evatt also presided over the General Assembly session in
which members unanimously passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Australia has contributed to the early years of operation also through its contribution as part of the United Nations
during the Korean War.
Australia also promotes its national concerns through participating in national discussions on aid programs,
disarmament and nuclear safeguards, environment protection, global trade and finance, health, human rights,
international security and refugee issues.
Through addressing these issues, Australia is an active member in UN multilateral treaties and UN organisations such
as UNESCO and the World Health Organisation.
AUSTRALIAS SUPPORT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS
Australia has shown its support to the conventions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Australia has shown its support further, by introducing legislation that has similar principles to the conventions it
supports. Australian family law reflects the principle of the best interest of a child, while the Human Rights and Equal
Opportunity Act 1986 incorporates these conventions with principles related to civil and political rights, the rights of
the child and disabled people and non-discrimination in the workplace.
Australia has also shown its commitment to removing discrimination further with the Racial Discrimination Act 1975
aimed at removing racism within Australian society and the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 aimed at removing gender-
based discrimination within Australian society.
DEFINITIONS
Asylum Seeker:
According to the Australian Human Rights Commission:
An asylum seeker is a person who has fled their own country, due to persecution and applied for protection in another
country as a refugee.
Refugee:
A refugee is a person who has left their own country and is unable or unwilling to return due to a well-founded fear of
being persecuted because of their race, religion, nationality or political opinion.
Mandatory Detention:
Mandatory detention is the policy of imprisoning individuals suspected of violating immigration policy, including
violation of visa terms, illegal entry or unauthorised entry into a particular nation. Mandatory detention is the policy
also of imprisoning asylum seekers while refugee claims are being verified.
AUSTRALIA AND INTERFET
INTERFET was the response to the humanitarian and security crisis that occurred in East Timor in September 1999.
This crisis was the violent actions taken by Indonesian-backed pro-integration militia as a response to the result of the
1999 Referendum for Independence, where East Timor voted for full independence from Indonesia.
The results of the militias actions included violence, arsoxn, looting. The result of this meant that housing, schools,
irrigation systems, water and power supplies were destroyed. In addition to this, there were numerous deaths, as well
as many refugees fleeing to West Timor or the mountains.
Australias role in INTERFET was firstly in establishing it, in order to improve the situation in East Timor. Australia
pressured the United Nation to send a United Task Force (UNTAET) to help with the situation. Australia led and
directed INTERFET.
INTERFET was important in improving the security and infrastructure within East Timor. Australia sent directly to
East Timor, humanitarian aid in order to help displaced people return to their homes. Australia provided 5500 of the
9000 personnel and also provided the force commander Major-General Peter Cosgrove.
Australia also provided a clearance diving team that ensured the beach was clear of mines, when they landed at East
Timorese territory in West Timor. Australia played an important role in the transitioning East Timor from violence to
peace, stability and able to establish a provisional government.
AUSTRALIA AND UNESCO
Australia contributed to UNESCO through representation.
Gough Whitlam served as Australias ambassador to UNESCO from 1983-1986, during which he was a member for
both the International Commission on International Humanitarian Issues and the World Heritage Committee. He
strongly advocated Australias fulfilling its commitments to supporting UN initiatives in human rights, the
environment and the preservation of our heritage.
Australia showed its continual support to UNESCO, despite United States, Britain and Singapore withdrawing support
over views that UNESCO was badly managed and anti-western.
Australia has amplified this support, through its involvement in a wide range of UNESCO programs. One of these
include the Memory of the World (MOW) program, founded in 2005, which hopes to preserve important documents
that otherwise be destroyed over time. Australia had established its own Australian Memory of the World Register in
order to achieve this.
AUSTRALIAS PEACE KEEPING ROLE
The 1990s were significant in Australian history of peacekeeping, as this decade defined Australias role in the
development humanitarian intervention and Australia played a key role in maintaining peacekeeping in the
countries.
The role that Australia played in keeping peace in Cambodia was to bring peace to Cambodia after decades of civil war.
Australia helped Cambodian refugees in Thailand to establish a legal system and police force in the lawless refugee
camps. Australia signallers played a vital role as part of UN Advance Mission in Cambodia (UNAMIC). Australias
foreign minister Gareth Evans and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade played an important role in the
negotiations for peace. ADF personnel, police officers, and electoral workers ensure that the 1993 Cambodian election
was free, fair, and overwhelming supported by the people.
Australia needed to provide humanitarian support to Somalia, because Somalia was a famine stricken country caused
by clan warfare and drought, and Australia as an active member of UN, took part in the UN Operation in Somalia
(UNOSOM) and the UN-sanctioned United Task Force (UNITAF) in Somalia.
Australians responded to the aftermath of Rwandas 1994 genocide by deployed a medical contingent, and as part of
the UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR), helped re-establish the Kigali Central Hospital in Rwandan capital.
AUSTRALIAS INVOLVEMENT IN REGIONAL AGREEMENTS
ANZAC PACT
The ANZAC Pact was a pact signed during World War II in 1944, between Australia and New Zealand.
Some of the terms of agreement include:
The two governments agree to act together in matters of common concern in the South West and South Pacific.
The two governments agree that, within the framework of a general system of world security, a regional zone of
defence compromising of the South-West and South Pacific areas should be established and that this zone should be
based on Australia and New Zealand, stretching through the arc of islands, north and north-east of Australia to
Western Samoa and the Cook Islands.
The two governments agree that the regulation of all air transport services should be subject to the terms of a
convention which will supersede the Convention relating to the Regulation of Aerial Navigation.
The two governments declare that no change in a sovereignty or system of control of any of the islands in the Pacific
should be effected except as a result of an agreement to which they are parties or in the terms of which they have both
convened.
The two governments agree to promote the establishment of a regional organisation with advisory powers, to secure
common policy on social, economic and political development directed towards the advancement and well-being of
native peoples themselves.
ANZUS TREATY
The ANZUS treaty was a treaty signed between Australia, the US and New Zealand during the Korean War in 1951, some of
the terms of agreement include:
The nations undertake to settle any international disputes in which they may be involved by peaceful means in such a
manner that international peace and security and justice are not endangered and to refrain in their international
relations from the threat of use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purpose of the United Nations.
In order to more effectively achieve the objective of this treaty the nations separately and jointly by means of
continuous and effective self-help and mutual aid will maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to
resist armed attack.
The nations will consult together whenever in the opinion of any of them the territorial integrity, political dependence
or security of any of nations is threatened in the Pacific.
The treaty does not affect and shall not be interpreted as affecting in any way the rights and obligations of the nations
under the Charter of the United Nations or the responsibility of the United Nations for the maintenance of
international security.
The nations hereby establish a council to consider matters concerning the implementation of this treaty. The Council
should be organised to meet at any time.
In 1984, the treaty relationship changed when New Zealand banned the entry of US ships it believed to be nuclear
powered and to have nuclear weapons capacity. In 1986, the United States suspended its ANZUS commitment to New
Zealand.
SEATO (ALSO KNOWN AS THE MANILLA PACT)
The United States organised the formation of SEATO, the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation, in September 1954. SEATO
united its members Australia, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and the United
States in an alliance to protect countries in South-East Asia and the Pacific that felt threatened by communism. It was
dissolved in 1977.
THE COLOMBO PLAN
The Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic Development in South and South-East Asia
(changed to the Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific),
was established with aims of identifying and providing what the less developed countries in region needed to improve
their economies and living standards. They also had the aims of promoting friendship among the
Asia-Pacific region and encourage international economic cooperation.
The Colombo Plan provides support for the economic and social development of least developed areas of the Asia-Pacific
region. This involves the more advanced member states providing and sharing the knowledge of technology and technical
expertise with less advanced neighbours. The Colombo Plan provides programs to develop skills in public administration,
private development, drug advice, publications and the use of databank systems. They are also committed to develop
human resources, and reduce economic inequality in the region.
SUMMARY:
The Colombo Plan was designed in order to benefit the poorer and less developed nations of the Asia Pacific region.
With Australia taking a key role in its formation, shows that Australia has an active role in achieving its goals and aims.
Australia suggested that more wealthy nations should try to help the developed of undeveloped nations through
programs which provide and share knowledge of technology and train people in areas of public administration,
private development, drug advice and use of databank systems.
The Colombo Plan promotes social development of the poorer nations in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia has being
contributing to this with its humanitarian aid in Cambodia and East Timor, and its aid to the
Asia-Pacific region.
The Colombo Plan promotes economic development of the poorer nations in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia
contributes to this through its treaties in APEC and with ASEAN countries. Through this it promotes trade between
the nations to stimulate each other economies.

PEOPLE, POWER AND POLITICS
GOUGH WHITLAM
CONTRIBUTIONS POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE
The contribution of Gough Whitlams government was significant as it introduced as it introduced new policies, which
improved human rights in Australia, Australias international relations with other nations, and Australias education
system. These policies shaped the way for governments to come, to improve Australia as a global nation and also to
improve Australias living standards and productivity.
Australian support for Vietnam War was dropping and dissatisfaction with the governments decision to send troops
to Vietnam was growing. Whitlam abolished conscription for national service, and released draft dodgers
(someone who tried to avoid conscription) from prison. He also withdrew any remaining troops from Vietnam.
Whitlams promoted human rights and support for the UN through implementing policies to improve the rights of
Indigenous Australians, women and also migrants. Indigenous Australians despite having the right to vote (they got
given that in 1962), there was still inequality. His policy of self-determination encouraged Aborigines to be
responsible for their own well-being, while at the same time the government would promote their well-being, living
standards and address the inequality.
Whitlams international policy included the policy of multiculturalism which instead of try to integrate migrants into
Australian way of life, promote independent development of cultures in Australia. This included removing precedence
for white people in migration.
Whitlam promoted womens rights through his legislation. He established an Office of Womens Affairs to promote
policies that would address the inequality. He also introduced an adult wage to replace the old system of separate
wages for men and women. The government also introduced an allowance to help single mothers support their
children, removed the sales tax on the contraceptive pill and began home tutoring skills for migrant women so they
could learn English and be less isolated from the Australian community. The Family Law Act 1975 removed the social
stigma that society had attached to divorced women.
Whitlam also aimed to improve the Australian education system, by firstly abolishing higher education fees which
enabled those who could not afford tertiary education, to have equal access to the education system. He established
the Australian Schools Commission to establish the needs of individual schools needed. This involved taking over
responsibility from states of the funding of schools, particularly tertiary education funding. Nearly 70% of school
funding went to upgrade needy government schools. His government was responsible for introducing the
Disadvantaged Schools Program to focus on overcoming students alienation from schools.
Whitlam introduced national health insurance to Australia in 1974 under the name Medibank. The introduction of
Medibank meant that within public hospitals health professionals worked for a salary or received time-based
payments rather than a fee for service. It resulted in work beginning on the planning and development of a wide range
of community health services, especially with regards to womens health. The scheme was accompanied by
bulk-billing which meant that the patients could see doctors who bulk-billed without having to pay a consultation fee.
(Bulk billing was the system where the person providing the medical service agrees to accept government payment of
85 per cent of the scheduled fee for the service he or she provides rather than taking the fee directly from the patient).
In addition to this, private medical services remained available as well.
Whitlam had many smaller policies. These included a program to bring sewerage to all urban areas, the creation of
Australian passports (that did not refer to Australians as British subjects), the encouragement of decentralisation
(this led to the creation of Albury-Wodonga), the creation of the Australian Film Commission, the Australian Council,
the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, and a National Film and Television School and the construction of
the Australian National Gallery. He also established the Australian Legal Aid Office to provide representation for those
who could not afford it. He also established the Trade Practices Commission and the Law Reform Commission
Despite this, due to his large amounts of overspending. Whitlam contributed to economic problems.
He also strained relations with the United States and Britain, through neglecting these relationships by focusing on
Asian nations.

KEY POLICY - MULTICULTURALISM
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MULTICULTURALISM AND OLD POLICY OF INTEGRATION
The old policy of integration was a policy denoting respect for all cultures and willingness to accept their expression
within the broader community. However, the new policy of multiculturalism, which is a policy of accepting and
maintaining cultural and ethnic differences in a society, encourage people more freely to express their culture within
Australian society.
NON-DISCRIMINATORY IMMIGRATION POLICY AND CITIZENSHIP
The removing of what remained of the White Australia Policy, and also preferences for white people in entry to Australian,
was part of this acceptance and maintaining of cultural and ethical differences in Australian. This was also implemented in
other areas of immigration policy such as tourist visas, and applications for citizenship. Immigrants from the United
Kingdom no longer took precedence over other immigrants in being granted citizenship.
SUPPORT FOR MIGRANTS
Support for migrants included radio programs in community languages, the establishment of migrant education centres
and also multilingual welfare officers and interpreters were provided for emergency telephone calls.
KEY EVENT WHITLAMS DISMISSAL
EVENT LEADING TO THE DISMISSAL
COMPOSITION OF THE SENATE
Despite having the majority in the House of Representatives, Labor did not have a majority in the Senate, so its Bills
might not pass through. Labor had 26 members, while the Liberal/Country coalition had 26 members also,
(Democratic Labor had 5 members, and there were 3 independents).
In March 1974, the coalition threatened the passage of the supply bills through the Senate. The supply bills are what
granted government the right to funding of their policies. The response of this by Whitlam was to call a double
dissolution, dissolving both houses and calling a general election. The results of this election, Labor continued to have
a majority in the House of Representatives, but not in the Senate.
On two occasions, the convention to replace a casual Senate vacancy with someone else of the same party, was broken
by NSW Liberal Premier Tom Lewis who replaced retiring senator Lionel Murphy with independent Cleaver Bunton;
and also by QLD Country Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen who replaced deceased senator Bert Milliner with an
independent hostile to the Labor Party called Albert Field.
This meant that Labor had a hostile Senate, meaning likely that their bills couldnt be passed.
ROLE OF THE OPPOSITION IN BLOCKING SUPPLY
Labor Party Treasurer Bill Hayden introduced the Budget into Federal Parliament on 19 August 1975, which required
the passage of supply bills (bills which secured government funding) in both Houses of Parliament to become operable.
On 14 October 1975, Opposition leader Malcolm Fraser decided to try to force the government to hold an early
election by having members of his coalition postpone the vote on Supply in the Senate, effectively blocking it. This
strategy meant that Whitlams government had only the funds to govern until 30 November 1975.
After a series of ministerial scandals in 1975 and in the midst of public concern about the Labor Partys economic
credibility, many Australians had lost faith in the Whitlam government. As the political deadlock continued, people
began to blame the opposition for the problem and demand that it pass the bills. A number of Opposition members
wanted to cross the floor and vote with the government to get these bills passed.
ROLE OF GOVERNOR GENERAL
The Prime Minister is the head of government, and the Governor-General is the British monarchs representative in
Australia (the British Monarch is the head of state).
Many Australians thought that the Governor-Generals role was mainly a ceremonial one representing the British
monarch in Australia. Fraser wanted the Governor-General (Sir John Kerr) to intervene the deadlock by sacking the
Prime Minister and his government.
Kerr discussed the issue with Sir Roden Cutler, the most senior of the governors, and also the chief justice of the High
Court, Sir Garfield Barwick.
EVENTS ON THE DAY OF THE DISMISSAL
At about 1pm on Tuesday 11 November 1975, Australias Governor-General Sir John Kerr, sacked Gough Whitlam and his
federal Labor government. Kerr then appointed Malcolm Fraser, the leader of the Opposition, until new elections decided
who would hold office.
POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES OF WHITLAMS DISMISSAL
The positives of Whitlams Dismissal, is it allowed government to function, by resolving the crisis regarding the
passage of supply bills. It also represented a victory for those who believed the government was mismanaging the
economy.
For a lot of people, it provoked anger and hostility, as people questioned whether a Governor-General
(whom no one had voted for) had the power to sack a government that the people had democratically elected.
ITS SIGNIFICANCE
The dismissal brought to public attention issues relating to the reserve powers and conventions in the application of
the Constitution.
It also brought discussions on the role of the Governor-General, and also tarnished the role of the Governor-General, as
people questioned and debated over Kerrs actions.
Despite losing the December 1975 election, Whitlams contribution to Australian society was significant, and this was
highlighted by the dismissal.
KEY INDIVIDUAL GOVERNOR-GENERAL JOHN KERR
John Robert Kerr graduated from law from Sydney University in 1938. In 1966, Kerr became a judge of the Commonwealth
Industrial Court and in 1972 Chief Justice of New South Wales Supreme Court. In July 1974, on the recommendation of
Gough Whitlam, he became Governor-General, the Queens representative in Australia.
The Prime Minister is the head of government, and the Governor-General is the British monarchs representative in
Australia (the British Monarch is the head of state).
Many Australians thought that the Governor-Generals role was mainly a ceremonial one representing the British
monarch in Australia.
Fraser wanted the Governor-General (Sir John Kerr) to intervene the deadlock by sacking the Prime Minister and his
government. These are part of the reserve powers of the Governor-General, as stated by the constitution.