VCE Politics - Unit 2: Exam Case Studies

AUKUS Webinar

2024 Online Webinar "Subs & Secrets: AUKUS or Sovereignty" made the point that the "AUKUS deal was made in secret, with the Australian public having been mostly kept in the dark."

Australians Concerns

James Curran in an Australian Foreign Affairs article stated Australians are "largely uninterested in foreign and defense policy outside times of war" (2024)

Poll AUKUS

Lowy Institute 2024 poll found 65% of Australians remain somewhat or strongly in favor of AUKUS

Poll AUKUS Price

March 2023 Guardian Essential Poll found only 25% of Australians are happy to pay the price tag of $368bn to acquire submarines.

Solomon Islands Support Package

June 2025, Pacific Minister Pat Conroy announced Australia will provide a $20 million support package for the Pacific Islands forum, which will provide things like dozens of vehicles and cyber security support.

AUKUS Inquiry

June 2025, 10 crossbench MPs and senators called for an urgent inquiry into AUKUS, stating there has been "limited opportunity for Parliamentary sovereignty" and it will "provide important transparency." Also say it won't work "without wider community interrogation and engagement."

AUKUS Bipartisan

2025, Foreign Minister Penny Wong states the pact is "multi-decade, multi-government"

China Military Buildup

2025, Richard Marles - (China) "biggest increase in military capability and build-up… by any country since the Second World War"

Australia Called to increase Defense Spending

2025, General Olmo Eichelsheim (Dutch Chief) - "If you can prepare for war, you can avoid war" "I think Australia has to increase its capabilities as well"

Greens Foreign Policy

2025 Greens Election Campaign - "Australia needs a foreign policy that prioritizes peace… not one driven by militarism"

Australian satisfaction with government and democracy

In 2022, 70% of Australians reported they are satisfied with democracy, but only 30% have trust in the government.

AUKUS Secretive

Much of the AUKUS negotiations were done in secret. Described by Greens in 2024 as "secret political agreements". Morrison said he worked on it for 18 months in secret before announcement in Sept 2021

AUKUS Labor and Liberal

An article by the Liberal Party in 2023 stated "Let the Labor Party and the Liberal Party stand together in our support of AUKUS"

China Stadium

China has invested about $120 million in helping the Solomon Islands host the Pacific Games, including helping build the main stadium in Honiara in 2023.

Australia aid to Pacific

In 2022, Albanese stated that the aid provided to the pacific "does not come with strings attached."

Australian Pacific Influence Poll

A 2025 Poll by the Lowy Institute found that 35% of Australians believe Australia is the most influential player in the pacific.

Australia aid to Indo-Pacific

In 2025, the Australian government announced in its Federal Budget that 75% of aid would go to the Indo-Pacific region.

Penny Wong Coalition

Penny Wong in 2022 said the Coalition made "the worst Australian foreign policy blunder in the Pacific since the end of World War II."

AUKUS China View

March 2023, China accused the US, UK, and Australia of embarking on a "path of error and danger."

Voice Referendum

2023 The Voice Referendum received a majority "No" vote of 60.1% to 39.9%

Federal Election 2025

2025 Australian Federal Election had 90.7% turnout. Labor had 94 seats, LNP 43. Minor parties had 33.1% of vote.

Aid Cuts

In March 2025, the Trump administration shut down the US Agency for International Development, and the UK announced 40% aid cuts. However, Australia did not follow and kept their aid spending.

Trump NG Deployment

In 2025, Trump made the decision to deploy the 4,200 National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles, claiming it was to respond to protests. In September, the US Court said it was a violation of the constitution. CA Governor Gavin Newson said "the court sided with democracy and the constitution."

ICC Putin

March 2023, ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin. He was accused of war crimes, where he deported children from Ukraine to Russia. In 2024, Mongolia - an ICC member - hosted Putin but failed to arrest him.

USA resolution

The USA's UNSC representative in 2025 stated that the Security Council's resolution on the war in Ukraine "puts us on a path to peace."

Russia violation

2022 - UN Secretary General Guterres condemned Russia's invasion as violation of international law. "A violation of the principles of the UN Charter."

Russia UNSC challenges

Russia's representative at the UNSC in 2022 stated that the proposed resolutions are a "refusal to engage and cooperate within the council."

Russia Ukraine Cause 1

In 2022, Vladimir Putin spoke in his address to Russia after invading Ukraine: "Ukraine is not just a neighboring country for us. It is an inalienable part of our own history, culture, and spiritual space."

Shared Identity and History

Russia Ukraine Cause 2

In 2022, Vladimir Putin spoke in his address to Russia after invading Ukraine on their ideological battle: "Ukrainian authorities preferred to build statehood on rejecting everything that unites us, fostering nationalism, Russophobia, and neo-Nazism."

The Battle over Ideology

Russia Ukraine Cause 3

In 2022, Vladimir Putin spoke in his address to Russia after invading Ukraine: "Ukraine joining NATO is a direct threat to Russia's security.

Ukraine wants to join NATO

US Ambassador at UN

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield stated in 2022 we should defend "the sacred principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity." This is in terms of the Russia Ukraine War.

Alaska Summit

An ABC Article in 2025 states that "Donald Trump may have been outplayed in Alaska" where he met Vladimir Putin to attempt to sign a peace deal for the war in Ukraine. The summit did not go as planned as no deal was achieved.

UNGA Resolution

In 2025, the UNGA passed two draft resolutions in resolving the conflict in Ukraine. The Ukrainian resolution passed 93 votes to 18.

Russia Veto

In 2022, Russia vetoed a UNSC resolution to the war in the Ukraine which called on Russia to "withdraw all of its military forces" from Ukraine.

Jan 6

In 2025, Donald Trump pardoned 1500 people who were involved in the January 6 Insurrection

Putin Freedom of Speech Crime

In 2022, Putin made it a crime to refer to the war in Ukraine as anything other than a "special operation."

USA ICC Sanctions

"The United States unequivocally opposes and expects our allies to oppose any ICC actions."

USA Russia Sanctions

October 2025, the USA announced sanctions on two of Russia's largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, as well as accusing Russia of a lack of commitment towards ending the war.

Liberal Democracy Political Ideology

UK:
PM Keir Starmer in Oct 2024:
"there can be nothing more traditional, democratic or British than a robust free press, fearlessly holding the powerful to account."

Illiberal Democracy Political Ideology

USA:In 2025, US President Donald Trump met Ukraine's President Zelenskyy, who told him "during the war, you can't have elections." Trump replied, "Oh, that's good" if the US were to have no elections.

Authoritarian Political Ideology

China:
A 2024 article by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs states "We must firmly uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership."

Liberal Democracy Separation of Powers

Australia:
In 2024, the High Court found that a law requiring immigrant detainees to be monitored by ankle bracelets was not valid due to being unconstitutional. A lawyer stated "the government… stripping them of their fundamental rights."

Separation of Powers Illiberal Democracy

USA:
After the Supreme Court blocked efforts to deport Venezuelan immigrants before being given a trial, Trump said: "The Supreme Court of the United States is not allowing me to do what I was elected to do. This is a bad and dangerous day for America!"

Separation of Powers Authoritarianism

China:
In 2024, the Chinese parliament revised a law to grant the Communist Party more executive control over cabinet.

Liberal Democracy Written Constitution

Australia: In 2023, the Voice to Parliament referendum, which aimed to acknowledge Indigenous Australians more in the constitution, failed. The "No" vote won 60.1% to 39.9%.

Illiberal Democracy Written Constitution

Poland:In 2023, a new law was signed to create a National Commission to probe Russian influence. However, it is equipped with powers given only in courts and law enforcement. Thus, the constitution is violated as the separation of powers is. An executive authority is given judiciary power.

Written Constitution Authoritarianism

China:
Constitution amended in 2018 to remove presidential term limits ensuring Xi Jinping can remain in power indefinitely.

Free and Fair Elections Liberal Democracy

Australia:
May 2025 election - >90% turnout, accepted by all parties, overseen by AEC.

Free and Fair Elections Illiberal Democracy

Hungary: In the 2022 Hungarian election, Viktor Orban won a 4th successive term. His opposition complained that there was an unfair difference in spending budget, and Marki-Zay, who conceded defeat, said "this was going to be an unbalanced fight."

Free and Fair Elections Authoritarianism

Russia:
In 2024, Vladimir Putin won the Russian election with 87.97% of the vote. A protestor stated "I believe this is not an election, this is a crime against the election law."

Checks on Political Power Liberal Democracy

Australia: A 2020 University of New South Wales article states the Australian Electoral Commission "fulfills that constitutional function by facilitating and protecting electoral democracy."

Checks on Political Power Illiberal Democracy

Israel 2023, Netanyahu proposed an overhaul to limit judicial power of the Supreme Court. This sparked mass protests, meaning he reformed parts of the overhaul, meaning the court still exists but is undermined.

Authoritarianism Checks on Political Power

A 2024 University of Melbourne article states that "Putin has ruthlessly deployed his centralised authority to eliminate any checks on power." This includes how he "transformed elections."

Rule of Law Liberal Democracy

USA:
In 2024, President Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records, which could've seen him face time in prison. The University of California said it is "a triumph for the Rule of Law."

Rule of Law Illiberal Democracy

Since 2016, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's "war on drugs" has led to thousands of extrajudicial killings carried out without due process. This demonstrates how, in illiberal democracies, the rule of law is inconsistently applied, allowing leaders to bypass legal limits and erode judicial accountability.

Rule of Law Authoritarianism

In 2024, the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in prison, with most claims stating that he was assassinated on orders by the Kremlin. US President Biden stated "Putin is responsible for Navalny's death," and it is "more proof of Putin's brutality."