The Defence White Paper 2013 and Australia's Strategic Environment

The depiction of Australia's strategic environment in the 2013 Defence White Paper has been one of its most favourably received elements. This article examines the White Paper's treatment of China's rise, and of the US-China relationship, the newly introduced construct known as the 'Indo-Pacific strategic arc', and the White Paper's renewed focus on defence engagement with Indonesia, and with Southeast Asia more generally, highlighting some of the challenges of this approach. While acknowledging the favourable reception that much of the analysis contained in the 2013 White Paper has received, the article concludes by observing that it may have over-corrected trying to redress the shortcomings of its 2009 predecessor.