Transcript Reclaim Australia Rally

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Archdale Debating
Current Affairs!
Reclaim Australia Rally
• Clash between Anti-Islam “Reclaim Australia” and anti-racist protesters “No
Room for Racism”
• Rival protests
• In Melbourne, ended in violence
• On Sunday, Sydney, but more subdued
• Pauline Hanson “against the spread of Islam“
• "We're not going there with any intention of being violent in any way, we
are actually there to challenge the violence, the ideological violence of the
people in Reclaim Australia," Rally Against Racism organiser Miranda Wood
said.
• "Hate speech is not welcome and we will be there to challenge it."
What is the right of the individual vs. larger society?
Does freedom of speech, freedom to protest, override other rights? In
what circumstances?
Iran Nuclear Deal
• THE UNITED NATIONS has voted unanimously to back a resolution
supporting the US-led Iran nuclear deal, leading the way for the lifting
of sanctions.
• Iran has pledged to let international monitors inspect its facilities for
the next 10 years
• in return, lifting sanctions which have crippled Iran’s economy
• Security Council resolution – legally binding
WHAT IS A SANCTION?
• a tool of foreign policy
• Usually imposed by a larger country upon a smaller country
1) either the latter is a threat to the security of the former nation or
2) that country treats its citizens unfairly.
• Eg. The Iran nuclear deal
• clear a path for international sanctions crippling Iran’s economy to be
lifted.
• Security Council endorsed the deal that curbs Iran’s nuclear program in
return for sanctions relief.
HOWEVER
• The fact that Iran has gone public about this – they’ve come under
greater vigilance, than if they had remained secretive
• Israel has at least 80 nuclear warheads, but USA has enormous
weapons capabilities – Iran would stand no chance
• Obama - recognise that diplomacy is “by far our strongest approach
to ensuring that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon.”
• Iran’s vast oil and gas reserves - fixed assets that will always find a
market in due course. World’s fourth-largest oil reserves, secondlargest gas reserves.
• Security and strategic interests are being seen in commercial rather
than military terms.
Australian Border Force (ABF)
• Increasing securitisation of immigration policies
• E.g. Proposals to limit the number of times the citizenship test can be
taken before a candidate is rejected
• Reflects a wider ideological shift
• Potentially framing particular migrants and their descendants as a
security risk – and thereby cultivates suspicion and exclusion
Paris 2015 Climate Summit
• Australia has the ability to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by
50% below 2005 levels by 2030
• Abbott revealed that the government will not announce Australia’s
target – which had been expected to be released this month – until
August.
• “Australia doesn’t get enough credit for the emissions reduction work
that we have already done,” Abbott said.
• China is world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter
• Attempts to reverse the favouring the current generation over future
generation
• Risks of rising carbon emissions means fossil fuel firms need new
strategies , but companies prioritise $$$ – eg. Shell has pledged to
adapt its business to climate change by 2050.
Jakarta’s 80% cut in Australian Cattle imports
• The Indonesian government has sharply cut quotas for live cattle
imports from Australia
• increased tensions between the two countries or Indonesian policy
of self-sufficiency
• Government involvement has led to increased uncertainty, higher
economic costs, shrinkage of the market
A year since MH17
• Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine in July
2014
• Currently Russia faces threats from the Islamic State
• Poor relations with the West
• Instead, Russia pursuing strong relations with China
• As a result – speculation about whether these two powers are
forming a new power axis to challenge the weight of the US
• Currently European Union sanctions regime against Russia
• Russian foreign policy quite unconstructive
Main Issues!
MAIN ISSUES
• Sanctions (economic)
• Democracy
• National sovereignty
• Immigration/Accepting refugees
• Foreign Aid & Trade
• Climate change
• Nuclear weapons
ASYLUM SEEKERS + REFUGEES
• What is the difference between asylum seekers vs refugees?
• Refugees have had their claims processed and are recognised to be in fear of
legitimate persecution in home country
• Asylum seekers may be refugees but haven’t had their claims processed
• May not meet technical definition of refugee
What happens to an asylum seeker?
• Seeking asylum
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Once someone gets on Aus land, their claims will be processed
Placed in detention centres til claims processed (Villawood, Manus Island)
If refugees, we keep them
If not, sent back
Hard to process / test – stuck in detention centres
FOREIGN AID
• For
- Promote human development
-
Improvement in services
Infrastructure
Income
Wellbeing
• Foster international relationships
Arguments AGAINST
• Aid is insufficiently focused on human development needs – corrupt
governments
• Only 40% of all aid goes to the poorest countries
• Inherently self-serving (favouring the donor country)
• Recipient country can become reliant
DEVELOPED VS DEVELOPING WORLD
• What is national sovereignty?
• The supreme, absolute, and uncontrollable power by which an
independent state is governed
• Western interference in developing countries
The UN
• not a world government
• does not make laws, but some resolutions are legally binding
• Provides the means to help resolve international conflicts and formulate policies
on matters affecting all of us.
• Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN: membership totals 193
countries.
Four purposes:
1. to maintain international peace and security;
2. to develop friendly relations among nations;
3. to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for
human rights;
4. and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
IN THE DEBATE…
• Whose is the most effective model in terms of preserving
human rights?
• There will be a trade-off in rights/privileges – whose is more
important? WHY?
• Principally vs. practically
Also
• Ensure you back up your claims with logic and examples, rather than broad,
sweeping assumptions
• Do not over-simplify the issue, acknowledge that it is complex and multi-layered
TOPICS!
• That Australia should give more aid to its neighbours (2011 Junior)
• That the UN should have its own army (2012 Junior)
• That we should only give development aid to democracies (2013 Intermediate)
• That we should form a political union with other South East Asian countries
(2012 Intermediate)
• That governments should be allowed to shut down social media in times of
civil unrest. (Archdale 2012 Seniors)
• That assassination is a legitimate tool of foreign policy (2011 Senior ISDA grand final!)