In an age of globalisation the foreign relations powers of federal governments have assumed great prominence. This is the first analysis of this controversial topic to examine the external affairs of the Australian federal government in an international context. Jurisdictions examined include Australia, the United Stated, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, India, and Malaysia. This wide-ranging international perspective provides an extended journey into comparative constitutional law. Further, it argues that the federal division of legislative power in the absence of treaty should not govern the implementation of treaties in a federal system. A full index and table of cases are included.