A new report is calling for a renewed focus on the security of Western Australia’s coast line.

The report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute says Australia’s position in the Indian Ocean makes it a ‘critical maritime pathway’.

One of the report’s authors Anthony Bergin says Western Australia is fuelling the nation’s economy and protecting mining interests along the coastline is critical to the nation’s economic prosperity.

“In the coming decades we will need to increase our defence infrastructure in Western Australia. The north-west of Western Australia is really going to be at the heart of our wealth creation for the next half of the century.”

He says there is a strong argument for a new naval base to be developed in the state’s north west and for better use of the existing Learmonth base.

“We need to increase our exercises in north-western Australia. We recommend having a naval base in the north-west with increasing critical offshore infrastructure.”

He says the Commonwealth has long had security and foreign policies for the Southern and Pacific Oceans but has neglected the Indian Ocean.

“The Indian Ocean is going to be the centre stage for much of the geopolitical competition in the 21st century. We are seeing both India and China making increasing inroads into the Indian Ocean and while I am not predicting a direct military clash, there is going to be increasing contestation.

“Each side fears really being contained by the other. In China’s case because India is supported by Japan and the US and India is really obsessed with China’s entry into the Indian Ocean region.

“Competition, contests, could in the worst case lead to conflict. And, obviously the worst case scenario is it could lead to a new Cold War in the Indian Ocean and we want to avoid that.”

Mr Bergin says the Commonwealth Government needs to take a keener interest in the region.

And, he says Western Australia’s Government should consider appointing a Minister for the Indian Ocean

He says Australia should increase its strategic presence in the Indian Ocean region and develop clear security policies for the next century.

“The bottom line, I think, is that the energy security concerns of east Asia and the rise of China and India are going to be the major determinants of how the Indian Ocean plays out in terms of geo-politics.”