EDITORIAL: Strong leadership needed for world in turmoil

It has been a rough road for the Labor Government as it lurches from one foreign policy crisis to another.

Not all of it has been within the Government’s control, but some of it has.

Despite 26 years in Parliament, Anthony Albanese’s inexperience is a factor and has contributed to major failures in our dealings with our main ally, the United States.

Allowing Kevin Rudd to remain in Washington as our US Ambassador, despite his embarrassing public criticism of Donald Trump, is a mistake Mr Albanese refuses to correct. And it has likely come at a cost.

From the onset the ushering in of the new more capricious Trump administration demanded a nimble and sophisticated approach but Mr Albanese fumbled the ball and has struggled to recover.

It is not weakness to make sure we have the best possible relationship with our closest allies and yet Mr Albanese has deferred requests to visit the US until the Quad leaders summit later this year.

If he is re-elected Mr Albanese will be the only leader going into that Quad meeting having not paid a visit to Mr Trump since his own re-election.

Australia’s regional standing has also taken a beating. We were once considered a major player, a powerful, modern nation gaining in strength and wealth. But Labor has led us off course.

Walking back on our commitment to Israel, our oldest friend in the Middle East, was disastrous and came with no explanation or rationale.

In outlining his own foreign policy agenda, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton played up Mr Albanese’s poor record and his own experience as former defence and home affairs minister.

“The best indicator is past performance,” he said. “I have worked successfully with the Obama Administration, the Trump Administration Mark I and the Biden Administration.

“I do believe that, if there’s a change of government, I will be able to work with the Trump Administration Mark II to get the best outcomes for Australians.”

The Coalition continues to blame the Albanese Government for failing to prevent Mr Trump from imposing steel and aluminum tariffs on Australian producers.

With the threat of more tariff hits on the horizon, Labor continues to strive for an exemption and there is a chance Mr Albanese’s long game could deliver a win.

Increased defence spending and taking a firmer line with Chinese displays of aggression and attempts to dominate our shipping lanes is also on Mr Dutton’s agenda, should he be elected our next Prime Minister.

And he plans to strengthen relationships with neighbouring Indonesia, Japan and UAE.

While some might claim his approach is outdated, there is much to be said for looking to the past to see how we have successfully navigated tricky international relationships.

One thing we cannot do is continue to drift or assume that things will automatically get better in four years.

Australia needs to act now. To get back on track we need policies that are in our best interests and that will repair our security and trade relationships. Uncertain times call for strong leadership and a steady pair of hands.