Australia's Strategy - George Friedman

George Friedman makes very valid points here. The dilemma that Australia faces in perpetuity is how to secure a continent the size of the United States or the EU with a population smaller than Malaysia. A valid question is why Australia has never properly considered the maximum exploitation of its continent and resources, aided and fueled by a determined policy to boost population. While the "Big Australia" ideal has been rejected by both PM Gillard and Opposition Leader Abbott, it remains the most logical and sustainable means of ensuring Australia has both economic weight and strategic depth. A Big Australia can better finance itself, secure itself and have influence in both its near abroad and in strategic fora. Unfortunately, as previously noted, Australia has regularly had provincial leaders and lacks any formalised structure for the making of a national strategy to increase the nation's power and influence. Increasing the nation-state's economic and military security is ordinarily a conservative goal and would be a worthy one for Tony Abbott to re-examine.