Part 7/10:
Throughout the discussion, Patterson attributes shifting foreign policy positions, including the move toward recognizing Palestine, to domestic political pressures rather than strategic or principle-based decisions. He notes that internal pressures from pro-Palestinian groups and unions influence the Australian government, pushing it away from longstanding bipartisan support for cautious engagement and peace-focused diplomacy.
He describes this approach as incoherent and driven by political expediency rather than clear, principled reasoning.