Australia’s Bid to Join Asean a Non-Starter

Its membership could ruin Asean’s centrality

By: B A Hamzah

There are conflicting reports from down under that Canberra wants to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Graeme Dobell, a senior fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, made the case most recently on September 28, arguing that “Australian partnership would be a game-changer for Asean, as well as altering Canberra’…