Nations defined as being in the Asia-Pacific region for the purpose of this course are listed at Appendix A.
SECTION A – DIVERSITY OF THE PHYSICAL AND HUMAN GEOGRAPHY IN THE AUSTRALIA, ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION
This Section of the course focuses on an overview of diversity of the physical and human characteristics of the Australia, Asia and Pacific region.
Specific learning outcomes about knowledge of, and understanding about Australia in Asia and the Pacific Region related to Section A.
Learners will be able to:
- describe a range of examples of physical and human geography of the Australia, Asia and Pacific region, and assess the degree of diversity of physical and human geography in the region.
Both Section A.1 and A.2 are compulsory.
SECTION A.1 – PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY CHARACTERISTICS
Learners will study:
- the location of countries within the Australia, Asia and Pacific region
- major landforms and geographic features in the region (e.g. mountains, seas and oceans, rivers, islands and plateaus)
- climate types within the region and major vegetation zones within the region (e.g. equatorial, tropical monsoon, sub-tropical and cool temperate)
- environmental degradation – vegetation (deforestation – including tropical rainforests).
SECTION A.2 – HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS
Learners will study:
- population – size and density. The problems of high population density and of population growth and decline
- urbanisation – changing rural/urban patterns and the problems faced by cities
- ethnic structure – a brief overview of ethnic groups and cultures in the Australia, Asia and Pacific region, including indigenous groups, and beliefs and practices of some of the main religions in the region (Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity).
SECTION B – AUSTRALIA’S CHANGING ROLES IN THE REGION: PARTNERSHIPS OR IMMIGRATION
This Section of the course focuses on Australia’s changing roles in the Australia, Asia and Pacific region. Australia’s partnerships and inter-relationships with specific regional nations in the areas of partnerships or immigration are investigated and studied in a critical manner.
Either Section B.1 or Section B.2 must be studied.
Specific learning outcomes about knowledge of, and understanding about Australia in the Asia Pacific Region related to Section B.
Learners will be able to:
- describe and assess how Australia’s relationship with specific nations in the region has developed and changed in the area of partnerships or immigration.
SECTION B.1 – PARTNERSHIPS (TRADE, SECURITY AND AID)
The changing nature of Australia’s partnerships with nations in the Asia-Pacific region is explored through:
- trade and security partnerships that exist between Australia and Asia-Pacific nations. For example:
- Trans Pacific Partnership
- trade agreements: Austrade; free trade agreements (such as China FTA, Korean-Australia FTA, and Japan-Australia Partnership Agreement)
- strategic alliances, including regional security and defence
- Australia’s aid partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region:
- Australia’s development policies
- aid organisations (including non-government)
- amounts given; economic advantages to Australia
- types of aid
- impacts of aid (advantages and disadvantages)
- management of aid; potential human rights abuses; discrimination in aid distribution
- long term impact of aid
- solutions to problems; recommendations
- Sustainable Development Goals (a UN initiative).
- Case Study: Investigate the nature of Australia’s partnerships with a selected nation. The selected nation must be from the Asia-Pacific region.
SECTION B.2 – IMMIGRATION (INCLUDING REFUGEE AND HUMANITARIAN ARRIVALS)
- immigration pre-1945
- populate or perish: Post War immigration
- First-Displaced Persons –1947
- changes in immigration policy
- 1958 Immigration Restriction Act
- 1966 watershed in abolishing the White Australia Policy
- 1972 Labor Government Changes
- 1976 increase in asylum seekers (so-called 'boat people')
- impact of people coming from the Asia-Pacific region on Australian culture and society since 1976 – enrichment of multiculturalism in Australia
- asylum seekers post 2000 and government responses
- Case Study: Investigate the experience of one national or ethnic group’s experience of re-settlement in Australia, post-1970. The selected group must be from the Asia-Pacific region.
SECTION C – TOURISM IN THE AUSTRALIA, ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION
This Section of the course focuses on tourism and its impact on the land and people of the region.
Specific learning outcomes about knowledge of, and understanding about Australia in Asia and the Pacific related to Section C.
Learners will be able to:
- describe and assess how tourism has had an impact on the environment, culture, society and economy of tourist destinations in the Australia, Asian and Pacific region.
SECTION C.1 – TRAVEL AND TOURISM IN THE REGION
- reasons for travel
- growth in tourism
- trends in tourism and travel patterns.
SECTION C.2 – MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
- codes of conduct
- sustainable tourism.
SECTION C.3 – CASE STUDIES
One tourist destination from each of Group A, B and C will be selected for study.*
Learners will study the impact of tourism – both positive and negative – on these tourist destinations in terms of: the destinations’ environment; the destinations’ society and culture; and economic impact on the destinations.
Group A |
Group B |
Group C |
Phuket, Thailand |
Fiji |
Norfolk Island, Australia |
Siem Reap, Cambodia |
Samoa |
The Tasman Peninsula, Australia |
Bali, Indonesia |
Cook Islands |
Kangaroo Island, Australia |
Singapore |
Vanuatu |
Great Barrier Reef, Australia |
Kyoto, Japan
|
New Caledonia |
Uluru, Australia |
* The selected tourist destinations from Group A and B will not include the nation selected for study in Section B.
SECTION D – NATIONAL RESPONSES TO CRISES
This Section of the course focuses on study of the causes and effects of internal national crises, and assessment of the success of responses to crises. This is done within the context of one selected Asian and one selected Pacific country’s crisis and responses.
Specific learning outcomes about knowledge of, and understanding about Australia in Asia and the Pacific region related to Section D.
Learners will be able to:
- describe cause and effect of a national crisis on an Asian and a Pacific nation, and assess the effectiveness of responses to the crisis.
Learners will select one topic from List A (Asian national crisis) and one topic from List B (Pacific national crisis) for study*:
List A: Asian national crisis |
List B: Pacific national crisis |
Japan – The 2011 Tsunami and Nuclear Disaster |
Samoa – the 2009 Earthquake and Tsunami |
The Philippines – Typhoon Ambo (Vongfong) 2020 |
Vanuatu – Cyclone Pam (2015) |
Nepal – the 2015 earthquake |
New Zealand – Christchurch Mosque shooting March 2019 |
East Timor – Post 1974 |
Kiribati – Rising Sea Levels |
Bali (Indonesia) – 2002 Terrorist Bombings in Kuta |
Fiji – 2006 Military Coup |
*The selected crises from List A and B will not include nations selected for study in Sections B or C.
For each case study, learners will undertake research in order to prepare a report that addresses the:
- causes of the crisis
- effect of the crisis (e.g. on human life, social, environmental, economic impact)
- national and international responses to the crisis
- effectiveness of national and international responses to the crisis.