Canberra, 7 June 1971
Secret
The Prime Minister
I raise one point of development from this afternoon’s discussions on the strategic basis of Australia’s defence policy.
2. It is the role Australia, as a middle power, can play in the South East Asian region. The role extends beyond defence to the responsibilities of Foreign Affairs, but the execution of our defence policy can make an important contribution to it.
3. As a middle power, Australia can do more in the way of quiet, but steady—and steadying—influence than is often open to the Big Powers. With the prospect of a decade without major Big Power confrontation, or at any rate with Big Power stalemate, Australia should be taking all the opportunities she can to contribute to the development of the region round about.
4. A stable and united Malaysia; a prosperous Singapore; and a developing Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are the surest means of protecting Australia from any kind of land based invasion.
5. The kind of programme you sketched out—of some ground and other forces on site; of military and other aid; and of training both here and in particular countries—makes sense within a concept of commitment by Australia to the region. It fits in with United Nations concepts of regional association and would give Australia leadership of what are after all its border areas.
6. Although regional security and development is a broad based concept, an Australian defence contribution along the lines mentioned in the previous paragraph would be far from insignificant. Foreign and aid policy are already moving pronouncedly in this direction, and drawing in a defence contribution would immeasurably strengthen the policy base.
7. You may think this a strand that is worth weaving into tomorrow’s discussions in Cabinet.
[NAA: A5882, C01191]