In his book The Tyranny of Distance, Geoffrey Blainey explained in compelling terms how Australia’s geography has shaped its history and identity.
From time to time Australia has feared foreign invasion, whether by France, Russia, Japan or even (in the early 19th century) a rising US. The threat became real during World War II when the Asian order collapsed, bringing Japanese military forces to Australia’s front door. Yet, as a result of having a continent to itself and being far from the epicentre of most conflicts, for more than 200 years Australia has benefited from what military planners call “strategic depth” — a degree of security provided by distance. Unlike other Asia-Pacific allies of the US such as South Korea, Japan and The Philippines, Australia remains remote from the region’s security hot spots — the Korean Peninsula, the East China Sea and the South China Sea — where temperatures are rising. But the reality is that the Lucky Country can no longer rely on distance to keep it safe…