SUMMARY

[Note to reader: this Country page primarily contains brief information about state-based violence during the period 1946–1974, and to some extent 1975–1988. For more detailed information on organized violence after 1989, please consult the specific Conflict and Dyad pages available on the left-hand side of this page. These pages contain more detailed information regarding all three categories of organized violence in this country from 1989 and onwards (when applicable), as well as detailed information about state-based violence 1975–1988. The left-hand side menu also contains links to Actor pages for all groups involved in organized violence since 1989 in this country, as well as actors involved in state-based violence 1975–1988.]

Australia, or the Commonwealth of Australia, started off as a set of colonies within the British Empire. The separate colonies of this vast continent came together in 1901 to form a federation and became a Dominion within the British Empire. Formal steps towards independence from the British came with the implementation of the Statute of Westminster in 1931–1942 (severing most constitutional ties between Australia and the UK) and finally with the Australia Act of 1986 which severed the remaining legal ties between the two countries.

In the 20th century Australia adopted a system of parliamentary democracy (although the British Queen is still the head of state) and began to more clearly accept the rights and claims of the indigenous population towards the end of the century.

When British rule over Asia began to decline during the Second World War and the threat of a Japanese invasion began to loom, Australia turned to the USA for military support. Since then, Australia and USA have been closely knit allies. This alliance has taken the shape of Australian military support to several of the USA’s endeavors in the post-Cold War era.

In 2003 Australia, together with the UK and the USA, participated in the interstate conflict with Iraq over government. Australia and its allies defeated and ousted the government of Saddam Hussein in the same year. Australia then lent secondary warring support to the government of Iraq in the intrastate conflict against various insurgent groups that began in 2004.

In Afghanistan, Australia committed secondary warring support to UIFSA (United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan) in 2001, in the intrastate conflict over government that brought down the Taleban government. Following on this victory Australia gave the same type of support to the new government of Afghanistan in the intrastate conflict with the Taleban, which began in 2003.

Australia has also committed secondary warring support to the USA in its intrastate conflict with al-Qaida, beginning in 2001.

Finally, Australia gave secondary warring support, through the multinational coalition, to Kuwait in its armed conflict with Iraq in 1991.

Since 1946 Australia has experience the interstate category of UCDP organised violence.