A review of recent discussion surrounding Australia’s Antarctic Policy.

• Main Author: Fletcher, Ashley
• Language: English
• Published: University of Canterbury 2018
• Subjects: Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10092/16118

Australia’s Antarctic policy has been a discussion point between academics, think tanks and government departments in recent years. The 100th year anniversary of Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic Expedition prompted a national discussion about Australia’s interests in Antarctica and the government’s policy towards the frozen continent. Two different ideas on Australia’s Antarctic policy are present in the literature. The first argues Australia has followed a bifocal approach to the Antarctic Treaty System. This approach has been beneficial to both Australia and the treaty system. The other side claims Australia should adopt a more strategic position towards Antarctica. This viewpoint is preoccupied with the ‘inevitable’ exploitation of Antarctic minerals. This review unpacks the potential for mineral exploitation in Antarctica, Australia’s submission to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the proposal for Antarctica to become a World Heritage Listing to illustrate Australia has consistently followed a bifocal approach to Antarctic policy and will not be changing this view in the near future.