Hugh White will introduce his latest Quarterly Essay "Sleepwalk to War: Australia’s Unthinking Alliance with America". He asks "Is the US–Australia alliance now based on a fantasy?"

In this essential essay, Hugh White explores Australia’s fateful choice to back the United States to the hilt, and oppose China. How did we come to this position – what led both sides of politics to align with America so absolutely?

White considers the wisdom of the choice in relation to AUKUS, Taiwan, the Quad, Biden and Trump. Can America’s containment strategy hope to succeed? Can America bear the burden of our dependence on it? If not, where does this leave our future security and prosperity? Is there a better way to navigate the disruption caused by China’s rise? This is a dramatic and original essay by Australia’s leading strategic thinker.

Hugh White is the author of The China Choice and How To Defend Australia, and the acclaimed Quarterly Essays Power Shift and Without America. He is emeritus professor of strategic studies at ANU and was the principal author of Australia’s Defence White Paper 2000.

Bookings are essential and numbers will be limited.

Conditions of Entry / Health & Safety Information

Please stay home if you are feeling unwell.