we've always been dependent on others for alliances... thats the way the world operates, forming alliances for trade and security.
certainly it depends on the leadership at the time. Howard was delighted with his Medal of Honor from his bestie Georgie Jnr. not that Aus benefitted from such deals he made with the US. and Abbott reconnected Aus with the Brits. thats as far as his admiration of Menzies ever extended.
we are an "insignificant" people because we have no Big Stick, either economic, trade or military. even when we send our people to fight in other countries at the behest of the Yanks we can only manage small detachments. and our border security has always been deficient. boats get through no matter how many boats and planes we put up in the North to monitor for illegal arrivals.
we're a small people in a Big land with no way to adequately manage or sovereignty.
they yanks don't need us, except for validating US aggression as an accomplice.
