The Portuguese Empire: Australia’s Forward Defence from 1961–1972

Abstract

Australia’s strategic interests from 1961–1972 were forwarded by the late Portuguese Empire. Portugal and Australia shared a similar problem: both feared the consequences of decolonisation. Portugal was forthright in this stance, attracting much of the world’s ire that could have been directed at Australia. Lisbon routinely stated that Australian and Portuguese interests were in such tight alignment that they were natural partners. Canberra privately acknowledged this but was reluctant to identify with Portugal’s internationally unpopular authoritarian government. Re‐inserting Portugal into the narrative contributes to the existing scholarship on Australia’s role in the decolonisation of the Territory of Papua and New Guinea and Portuguese Timor, and Australian support for white minority rule in Southern Africa. This article demonstrates that Portuguese efforts to attain their own security goals aided Australia and shines new light on this neglected aspect of Australia’s foreign policy literature.