Australia’s New Defence Policy: A good example of a national approach for achieving maritime security

The Australian Defence White Paper (2009) is perhaps one of the clearest national statements outlining the need for a comprehensive maritime security strategy.  The paper is focused upon joint operations with considerable emphasis placed upon coordination of all aspects of government to deliver national security and identifies the need for a significant upgrade in the national approach to maritime security to achieve this.   This is probably the least ambiguous articulation by a foreign state of the 3-D ‘trinity’, which Canada developed for its national security model.  In this instance, unlike the Canadian case, there will be real investment in the maritime and amphibious capabilities required to deliver it.  Clearly, Australian national security and its maritime sub-set are very much whole-of-government products, with politicians and senior military officers in accord with one another.  Wouldn't the clarity of this approach benefit many NATO nations, like the U.K. and Canada, in dealing with the current strategic environment, rather than just coping with out-dated Cold War doctrine?

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