Description
In response to escalating geopolitical conflict, countries are increasingly attuned to the use and design of export control policies. What explains the varied designs of national export control regimes? This paper uses New Zealand and Australia as comparative cases to explore the processes through which export control regimes are adapted to changing geoeconomic circumstances and the role of firms in these dynamics. While each country is export-dependent and closely aligned with the United States, their export control regimes have recently diverged. Australia enacted sweeping legislation in 2024, yet New Zealand has pursued incremental revisions in its export control legislation reforms despite political awareness of its deficiencies. Empirically, we draw on legislative debates, public comments, government reviews, and interviews with both political and business elites. Drawing from scholarship on the securitized political economy, we show how the elevation of human rights (rather than military) concerns can limit the ability of policymakers to pursue large-scale reforms and amplify the influence of businesses in the process. Amid growing investment in AI, chip, and technology development, our work offers insight into the role of business interests in the adaptation of export control regimes and the conditions under which trade is securitized.
