Australia claims jurisdiction over more of the earth than any other country—around 27.2 million square kilometres or 5% of the planet, ahead of Russia and the US. Of this, our maritime domain is around 4% of the planet’s oceans.

This Strategy Report, authored by Sam Bateman and Anthony Bergin, is a new assessment of Australia’s ocean interests. Australia should be an oceanic superpower but currently we are neither a great maritime nation nor a great maritime power: we have neglected the importance of the oceans to our national prosperity and security.