澳洲是一個中型國家，其國防力量相當有限。因此澳洲的外交關係與國防戰略，在傳統上就一直緊密地連結於以超級強權為中心的同盟關係，先是英國再來是美國。澳洲對印尼關係的重視起源於，二次戰後不久英美相繼從東南亞撤兵，所造成區域權力真空的狀態。在地緣政治的考量之下，為了彌補軍事力量的不足與確保國家安全之故，澳洲便開始以外交多邊主義為基礎與其周邊東南亞國家建構安全措施。在與東南亞的地緣關係中，印尼不僅是地理上距離澳洲最近，亦是在安全上影響澳洲最深的國家。在澳洲與東南亞的關係中，也以與澳印的雙邊關係最為重要。本文乃企圖從澳洲地緣政治的角度探討，自二次戰後迄今澳洲如何以經濟與政治的外交途徑和印尼建構穩定的雙邊關係，以確保其國家安全。

Australia is a middle power with a limited defence capability. Therefore, Australia’s foreign polities and defence strategy are traditionally connected with international superpower-led military coalition, the UK first, then the US. The increasing strategic importance of Indonesia for Australia’s national security was due to the UK, then the US, decided to withdraw troops from Southeast Asia after the Second World War. In order to keep its national security by shaping a regional security setting, Australia consequently started to promote regional multilateral diplomacy and security building toward the Southeast Asia. Regarding Australia’s geopolitics, the geographical position of Indonesia is very close to Australia and has a deep influence on Australia’s security concern. For this, Australia’s relationship with Indonesia is, therefore, the most important one in the region. This article tries to examine that how and why a middle power Australia has applied political and economic approaches to construct a relationship with Indonesia through the Australian perspective of geopolitical security after WWII.