In Fear of Abandonment, expert and insider Allan Gyngell tells the story of how Australia has shaped the world and been shaped by it since it established an independent foreign policy during the dangerous days of 1942. Gyngell argues that the fear of being abandoned – originally by Britain, and later by our most powerful ally, the United States – has been an important driver of how Australia acts in the world.

Allan Gyngell was foreign policy adviser to Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating and worked as a diplomat, policy officer and analyst in several government departments.

Featuring Fairfax senior correspondent Daniel Flitton in conversation with the author.