FIL-OZ DIPLOMACY

Australia and the Changes in Asia

By Renato Perdon
Sydney-Australia
November 6, 2015



Foreword: First of a series of articles (by Renato Perdon) , in preparation for the forthcoming observance of the 70^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Australia and the Philippines.

As we continued our journey, we noted that at this stage great changes were taking place in this part of the world, the political geography of Asia was changing. Except for Thailand which never been under colonial rule, almost all countries were on the road to their independence status.

The Philippines became independent, and then Indonesia followed. This resulted in slow opening of the eyes of Australia’s political leaders. Sir Alan Watt wrote in his memoirs Australian Diplomat that changes in the outlook of Australians towards its neighbours manifested only during the early 1950s. In fact as late as 1970s, Australian perception of Asia had changed just a little. In the early 1970s, writer Elizabeth Durack of Western Australia, went to the Philippines and admitted in her book that recorded her Philippine experiense, that she was in a ‘state of ignorance and innocence’ about the country when she first stepped from the aircraft.

‘During the first 150 years of Australia’s history, the Philippines was considered a ‘mysterious place’, always remote. Although situated almost at the fringes of their vast continent, still the 7,000 or so islands were too far away to fathom. This is nothwithstanding the fact that thePhilippines, according to one Australian writer, is closer in distance, to Australia than to New Zealand. Current research indicates that, in spite of sweeping generalisations, quite a number of Australians were attracted to the exotic Philippines. These were adventurers who did not conform to their society’s negativity about ‘Asiatics.’

‘For a century Australians, because of their love of adventure, defied their cultural traditions and established contact with the ‘Hordes of the North’, particularly the Filipinos. These contacts created the early Australian imagery of the Filipinos. Some would dismiss it as insignificant, but, the early Australian view of the Philippines underscored he capacity of Australians, if given the chance, to look outside their world, to see the reality of Asia through the wall of Western mentality. This is also manifested in their past contact with Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Fiji, Africa, and India.’

Sooner than expected, a direct contact with Asian political leaders was established with the assistance of early Australian foreign diplomatic representatives, Casey realised the difficulty encountered by Asian countries in dealing with their respective rehabilitation after the devastation of the last world war.

It was these countless visits that opened the eyes of Casey to the ‘great significance of Indo-China and Burma to the security of Malaya, and indeed of South East Asia as a whole. In one of his many reports to the Australian Parliament, Minister Casey highlighted the reality that the political, economic and military situation in the countries of Southeast Asia was of paramount importance to Australia and he advocated for the government policy towards its northern neighbours to be reviewed.

The interest shown by Australia to Southeast Asian relations was reciprocated right away by the Philippine government with the appointment of Manuel A. Alzate in March 1948 as the first Consul General of the Philippines in Sydney, with jurisdiction extending through out the Commonwealth. This was redefined later to focus mainly on Australia and New Zealand.

Consul-General Alzate arrived in Sydney in May 1948 and took residence initially at 6 Birtley Place, Elizabeth Bay, Sydney, while scouting for the site for the Philippine Consulate General’s office. The postal address of the Consulate General was GPO Box 4607. By the end of 1948, the Philippine Consulate General was finally operating at 11 Onslow Avenue, Elizabeth Bay where it is now the official residence of the Philippine Consul General assigned in Sydney.

He was a fresh graduate from the Melbourne University when, together with other  two newly graduates, he joined the re-established Department of External Affairs in 1935. He had held then various important political positions in the department, including his being the first Australian career diplomat to be given a diplomatic post in Washington. His diplomatic career was highlighted by his appointment later as Permanent Head of the Department.

Waller was born and grew up in Melbourne. His father was the headmaster of the Pre School of Scotch College. He was married to the former Alison Dent, an immense value to his diplomatic responsibilities whom he described as a very good hostess. Waller found his assignments in Manila very interesting because he had his own post for the first time and particularly agreeable to a young man in his early thirties.