Australia is one of the largest and richest countries in the world. It is a well-functioning democracy that is closely aligned with the Western world. The country is considered an ally of the United States, UK, and EU. NATO is a defensive alliance of Western countries that provides a mutual security guarantee, aims to improve military cooperation between members and protect democracy. But this begs the question, could Australia join NATO?
Australia could not join NATO. Only countries in Europe and North America can become NATO members. As Australia is a country in the Oceania, it is not eligible to join the alliance.
…but that’s just an overview. To fully understand if Australia could join NATO, we need to look in a bit more detail.
Is Australia A Member of NATO?
NATO is a military defensive alliance of democratic Western nations. It provides collective security for member states. Australia has been a democracy since independence in 1901 and is considered a major nation in the Western world. So, is Australia a member of NATO?
Australia is not a member of NATO. There has been no time in history when Australia has been part of the alliance and the country has never been a candidate for NATO membership.
NATO was established in 1949. Its original aim was to protect Europe against aggression from the Soviet Union. At the end of World War Two, Europe was divided between the Soviet-controlled East and American-aligned West. The Cold War began almost as soon as World War Two ended. NATO was founded to provide mutual security to the countries of Western Europe.
When NATO was founded, there were 12 member states. These were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
During the Cold War, the USSR was seen as the biggest strategic threat to Europe. When NATO was formed, the focus was to include European countries as well as America and Canada. The US and Canada had both fought in Europe during World War Two and had deep economic, cultural and security ties to the continent.
With NATO’s focus on European security from it’s beginning, Australia was not invited to join.
In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed. During the 1990s and 2000s, NATO expanded to include countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Many of the countries that joined at this time were former communist countries occupied by the Soviet Union after the Second World War. NATO’s focus became protecting these countries from renewed Russian aggression.
Today, NATO has 30 member states. However, the alliance has continued to focus on European security and containing Russia, and so Australia has never been invited to join.
Why Isn’t Australia A NATO Member?
Ok, so it’s clear that Australia is not a part of NATO. The alliance has many criteria that countries need to meet in order to join. Australia does not meet two of these criteria:
- To be a European or North American country
- To contributes to the security of the Euro-Atlantic area
Let’s take a quick look at each of these and see why Australia is not a NATO member…
European or North American Country
The first, and probably biggest, reason why Australia is not in NATO is because it is not a European or North American country. NATO is a trans-Atlantic alliance focused on European and North American security. Australia is located in Oceania. NATO has made it clear that only countries in Europe or North America can join. Although NATO takes a broad definition of Europe – there are discussions on Georgia joining the alliance, countries on other continents are not eligible to join NATO.
Contributes To The Security Of The Euro-Atlantic Area
A second reason why Australia isn’t a NATO member is because the country does not significantly contribute to the security of the Euro-Atlantic area. As we’ve said, NATO is an alliance primarily to defend Europe, as well as North America. Although Australia is a firm ally to the countries in NATO, it does not contribute to European or North American security, and this is why it is not a member of the alliance.
Can Australia Join NATO?
It’s clear that Australia is not a member of NATO and we’ve looked at the two main reasons why, but what about going forward? Can Australia actually become part of the alliance?
Australia cannot become a member of NATO. As a trans-Atlantic alliance focused on European defence, NATO only accepts members from Europe and North America. Australia is located in Oceania and so cannot join NATO.
NATO is an alliance that provides mutual security to member states in Europe and North America. There are currently 30 NATO members. For a country to join the alliance, it must meet a series of criteria. These include:
- A European or North American country
- Functioning democratic political system
- A market economy
- Fair treatment of minority populations
- A commitment to resolve conflicts peacefully
- An ability and willingness to make a military contribution to NATO operations
- A commitment to democratic civil-military relations and institutions
As we can see, Australia actually meets many of the criteria needed to join NATO. The country is a functioning democracy with a market economy. Human rights and minority rights are protected in Australia. The country also aims to resolve its disputes peacefully. Australia spends 2.1% of its GDP of defence and could make a significant contribution to NATOs operations. Australia also has strong civil-military relations and institutions.
Although Australia meets most of the criteria needed to join NATO, there is one major area that it does not – Australia is not a European or North American country. Australia is located in Oceania. It is 8,750 miles away from Europe and 8,840 miles away from North America. Therefore, Australia cannot join NATO.
Will Australia Join NATO?
Right, so it’s clear that Australia cannot really join NATO. However, the future is never certain, and events may change the security context of Europe, North America, or Oceania. So, will we ever see Australia become a NATO member state?
Australia will not join NATO. As a country located in Oceania, Australia is not eligible to join NATO. The alliance only accepts members from North America or Europe. NATO will not expand to include countries in Oceania, and so Australia will not become a member.
NATO will almost certainly remain an alliance of European and North American states. The stated objective of the alliance is to provide a mutual defence guarantee and improve security cooperation between democratic states in the trans-Atlantic region.
It is highly unlikely that NATO will begin to include countries outside of Europe and North America. This means Australia will not join.
Although Western countries do see security threats emerging in the Indo-Pacific region – most importantly the rise of a more assertive China, it does not mean that NATO will expand, and Australia will join.
Currently the US is leading the creation of new defensive and military alliances in the Indo-Pacific region that aim to contain China. Some of these new alliances include Australia. However, this is not the same as an expansion of NATO.
Is Australia In Any Military Alliances?
Australia is the member of four international military alliances. These are:
- AUKUS
- Five Power Defence Arrangements
- Quadrilateral Security Dialogue
- Five Eyes
Let’s go over each of these…
AUKUS
AUKUS is a security agreement between the United States, the UK and Australia. It began in September 2021. The aim is to improve security in the Indo-Pacific region. It also agrees for the UK and US to provide nuclear submarines to Australia. The pact does not commit its members to come to each other’s defence.
Five Power Defence Arrangements
The Five Power Defence Arrangements is a series of defensive treaties signed between Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, and the UK. Established in 1971, the agreement states all parties must immediately inform the others of threats of attack against them. Members can then decide to act jointly or separately against any threat. Unlike NATO, the Five Power Defence Arrangements does not commit states to come to the defence of other members.
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue
Initiated in 2007, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue – known as the Quad, is an ongoing security arrangement between the United States, Australia, Japan and India. The Quad holds regular meetings where members convene and share information. They also conduct joint military exercises. The aim of the Quad is to contain China and ensure a ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’ region.
The Quad is not a mutual defence alliance and does not commit members to aiding each other if attacked.
Five Eyes
The Five Eyes is an intelligence sharing relationship between the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The alliance emerged soon after the end of World War Two. It commits members to sharing intelligence and signal information between them. It is not a defensive or armed forces alliance, but an information sharing agreement.
Are Australia’s and NATO Allies?
Australia is not a member of NATO. However, what is the relationship between Australia and the alliance? Could Australia and NATO be considered allies?
NATO and Australia are close allies. Australia is one of NATO’s ‘global partners’ and the country works with NATO in three key areas:
- Ongoing dialogue and cooperation
- Building capabilities and interoperability
- Support for NATO-led operations and missions
Let’s go briefly over each of these…
Ongoing Dialogue and Cooperation
Australia became a NATO ‘global partner’ in 2005. Global partners are non-NATO countries that the alliance forms an on-going relationship with. In 2012, NATO and Australia signed a joint political declaration strengthening their commitments to work together. In 2019, this agreement was renewed, with Australia joining many key NATO meetings.
Building Capabilities and Interoperability
Since 2014, Australia has been working with NATO on building joint capabilities and interoperability. This includes deepening ties in areas such as logistics, information sharing, aviation, codification, and armaments cooperation. Australia is also involved in military exercises alongside NATO forces.
Support For NATO-Led Operations and Missions
Australia has deployed forces to support several NATO-led missions. These include from 2015 to 2021 when Australia worked alongside NATO providing training to the Afghan security forces. Australia has also supported NATO training missions in Iraq since 2018.
Operation Ocean Shield was a NATO mission against pirates operating off the Somali coast. Australia worked alongside NATO on the operation which ran from 2009 and 2016.
How Strong Would NATO Be If Australia Became A Member?
An important question to ask in relation to Australia joining NATO is what Australia could bring to the alliance? How strong would NATO actually be if Australia joined as a member?
If Australia joined NATO, it would increase the alliance’s strength by around 1.7%. Australia would add nearly 60,000 frontline troops and 30,000 reservists to NATO. Australia would also add nearly 60 combat aircraft to the alliances overall force.
Below is a comparison table looking at NATO’s current strength and then how strong the alliance would be if Australia joined.
| Country | Number of Active-Duty Soldiers | Number of Reservists | Number of Main Battle Tanks | Number of Combat Aircraft | Number of Warships |
| NATO | 3,261,760 | 2,106,850 | 14,971 | 6,071 | 503 |
| NATO With Australia | 3,320,360 | 2,136,950 | 15,030 | 6,216 | 511 |
All data from Wikipedia.
As we can see, if Australia joined NATO it would not add significantly to the overall strength of the alliance. Australia would add 58,600 frontline soldiers and 30,100 reservists. NATO already has a combined strength of over three million soldiers and two million reservists. Adding Australia’s troop numbers would not be a major benefit to NATO.
Australia has 59 main battle tanks. NATO has nearly 15,000. Adding Australia’s armour to NATO’s overall force would not be a great increase.
With 145 combat aircraft, Australia has a powerful air force. However, NATO has over 6,000 combat aircraft at their disposal and so Australia joining the alliance would not be a major increase to NATO’s overall air power.
Australia has a small navy. This is another area where adding Australia to NATO would not significantly increase the alliances strength.
Should Australia Join NATO?
Although, as we’ve said, it is almost certain that Australia will never join NATO, let’s think about if Australia should actually join the alliance or not…
Australia should not join NATO. The alliance is focused on European defence and this not of great strategic importance to Australia. Key NATO members, including the US, are also forming other alliances with Australia in the Pacific region. This is where Australia should focus its defensive initiatives.
In the current global security context, Australia’s focus should be the Indo-Pacific region. There are several key security challenges here, including the rise of China, global warming, increasingly authoritarian regimes, and several flashpoints that could start major conflicts. Australia should not join NATO because it is not in the countries strategic interest to do so.
Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, NATO has renewed its focus on ensuring the security of its European member states. Australia is over 8,000 miles away from Europe. Although the country has a competent and professional armed forces, it is does not have a large military. Essentially, there is little for NATO to gain from adding Australia as a member.
When Did Australia Join NATO?
Finally, with talk of new alliances in the Indo-Pacific region such as the Quad and AUKUS, that include the US and Australia, some people may get it wrong and ask when did Australia become part of the NATO?
Australia has never joined NATO. There is no date in history when Australia became a NATO member. Australia has never applied to join the alliance.
NATO was established in 1949 with 12 member states in Europe and North America. Today, NATO includes 30 countries – all are located in the trans-Atlantic region.
Since the formation of NATO seven decades ago, Australia has never been a member. The country has never been a candidate for membership and there has never been serious discussion about expanding NATO to include Australia.
Australia does work closely with NATO in some areas and is officially considered one of the alliances ‘global partners’.
Since 2005, NATO and Australia have been in official dialogue. In 2012 both parties signed a joint political declaration that committed them to strengthening cooperation. Australia deployed troops to the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan and continued to work alongside NATO forces in Iraq.
Although Australia and NATO have a close relationship and work together in many areas, Australia is not a formal member of the alliance.