Throwing Stones at Streetlights or Cuckolding Dictators? Australian Foreign Policy and Human Rights in the Developing World

Abstract

The history of Australian human rights policy in the developing world is chequered. Australia's most consistent contribution has been in socio-economic rights through its aid programme, and in its support for decolonisation. During the Cold War, a premium was placed on civil rights, in ideological opposition to communism. After the activism of the Evatt era from 1945 to 1949, and a hiatus until 1972, renewed engagement with multilateral institutions, in part as a way of influencing human rights in developing countries, came with the Whitlam, Fraser, Hawke/Keating and Rudd governments, while there was some retreat under the Howard government. All governments since the early 1970s have had considerable human rights successes (including through bilateral diplomacy) and some often dramatic failures; most have sacrificed human rights at some point for other strategic objectives. Governments have also struggled with their choice of means in confronting violations. There remains room for Australia to articulate a more effective human rights diplomacy.