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7.16.4 Discourses of dissociation post WWI.
The continuing dissociation of Australia from Great Britain is recognized in Crossroads: Asia
and Australia in world affairs (Cowie, 1980) as continuing post WWII, with the textbook
explicitly articulating the reasons for this diminishing of ties (see Source 7.82).
Source 7.82. “Relations With Britain and the Commonwealth” extract from
Crossroads: Asia and Australia in world affairs (Cowie, 1980, p. 227).
It is also clearly articulated that Great Britain did not attempt to prevent dissociation from
happening, and although the majority of content focuses on Australia, insinuating that the
nation led the way in dissociating from Great Britain—perhaps as an attempt to garner
national pride in the students’ reading the textbook—the active participation of Great Britain
in moving away from these ties cannot be ignored. In particular, Cowie presents the
emotional connection to Great Britain as separate to the military and trade relationship and
the extract in Source 7.83 highlights the strength of Australians’ feelings towards the
monarch.
Source 7.83. Australians’ emotional connection to the British monarch extract from
Crossroads: Asia and Australia in world affairs (Cowie, 1980, p. 228).
7.17 Category 4: Foreign Policy Connections Between Australia and Great Britain
7.17.1 Discourses of allegiance with Great Britain.
Communicating to students the depth of Australia’s allegiance to Great Britain in the years
between Australian Federation in 1901 and prior to the outbreak of WWI, Cowie draws focus
to Australia’s reliance on Great Britain in matters of foreign representation, writing “...in
major matters of foreign relations, Australia continued to accept the leadership of Britain. She
maintained no foreign embassies, and formed no alliances of her own” (Cowie, 1980, p. 200).
Although in 1909 the Australian parliament passed the Defence Act, the strong connection
Australia had with Great Britain militaristically is made evident to students through the
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