A Secret Australia

Book excerpt: In A Secret Australia, nineteen prominent Australians discuss what Australia has learnt about itself from the WikiLeaks revelations - revelations about a secret Australia of hidden rules and loyalty to hidden agendas. However Australians may perceive their nation's place in the world - as battling sports stars, dependable ally or good international citizen - WikiLeaks has shown us a startlingly different story. The revelations flowing from the releases of millions of secret and confidential official documents by WikiLeaks have helped Australians to better understand why the world is not at peace, why corruption continues to flourish, and why democracy is faltering. This greatest ever leaking of hidden government documents in world history yields knowledge that is essential if Australia, and the rest of the world, is to grapple with the consequences of covert, unaccountable and unfettered power.