THERE are few masterstrokes in Australian politics. Yesterday we may well have witnessed one.

Mark Latham's elevation of Beazley to the front bench as Opposition spokesman for defence is a decision that has enormous significance in policy and electoral terms.

In Washington for the 2004 conference of the Australian-American leadership dialogue, Beazley thought long and hard about the Australian national interest. He decided. In Beazley's mind, there exists a pressing national need for Australia to take a more comprehensive approach to questions of national security.

What is lacking in the war on terror, which Beazley views more accurately as a war against militant Wahabism, is the kind of conceptual thinking backed up by a vigorous practical approach across the board, which had marked the period of engagement with Southeast Asia of the Hawke-Keating governments.

Last night, Latham delivered a speech on Labor's foreign policy that complemented his front bench announcement and drove home a message: "There is talk in the media about terrorist efforts to influence American, European and Australian elections. Let me make it clear that there is one person and group that will not be advantaged by the election of a Labor government. That is Osama bin Laden and the al-Qa'ida network. An Australian Labor government will be an implacable enemy of the fundamentalist terrorists."

Yesterday, the debate about Australian defence and national security issues at once became sharper and more telling. Latham has now surrounded himself with Kevin Rudd (foreign affairs), Steve Conroy (trade) and Beazley (defence), who represent strong pro-American views that strike a resonant chord in middle Australia.

With Peter Garrett stepping up on the moderate Left of the spectrum, Latham has balanced political and electoral imperatives.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10118578%5E7583,00.htm