Kevin Rudd’s World – Mr Daniel Flitton

After two years and a whirlwind of activity in Australia's foreign affairs, what has Kevin Rudd got to show for all his global ambition?  Australia has won a seat at the revamped G20 leaders' summit, while chasing another at the United Nations Security Council.  "Enhancing" and "deepening" ties with the world is now the Government's mantra - be it Africa, South America or India.

 

But there have also been hurdles to surmount - relations with China soared amid high hopes for what a Mandarin-speaking Australian leader could achieve, only to sour - so, too, with Indonesia.  Climate change has added to the intensity of the debate over Australia's role in the world.  So has our commitment to the war in Afghanistan and its rehabilitation.  All this and more poses the question of how will Kevin Rudd, the former diplomat, see the world in an election year, and what part will it play in his stewardship of Australia's interests?

 

Daniel Flitton is diplomatic editor of ‘The Age’.  He is a former intelligence analyst for the Australian Government and was at one time a university lecturer specialising in international relations.  We are pleased to welcome him back to the AIIAV for this key address.