On the Historical Breadth of Australian National Security

This article details the use of the phrase ‘national security’ in political and public discourse around the time of Australia’s Federation (1881–1921). It finds that while it was not present in policy or legislation until later, the phrase enjoyed noteworthy use in political debates and news media during the early Federal period. Further, the article finds that while military and defensive concerns were a common consideration of this early ‘national security’, there also existed a strong economic and social element, prefiguring the ‘broadening’ of security following the Cold War.