Why are international treaties important to Australia?
Australia participates in treaty making because it is in the national interest to do so. If the projection of military and economic power were the main means by which national objectives were pursued, Australia would be vulnerable. Our geographic isolation and small population would be seen as a weakness. Nations, particularly States with a relatively small population such as Australia, benefit from a world where interaction between countries takes place within a framework based on fair, agreed and transparent rules as agreed in treaties. Australia is not a member of any single rigid regional grouping; rather, we build global or regional alliances and through them, seek to influence the standards by which international relations are conducted.
