As campaigns for international isolation of South Africa intensified in the 1970s and 1980s, successive Australian governments placed Australia firmly in the anti-apartheid camp.

[6] When Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam came to power in December 1972, his Government quickly acted to dismantle all vestiges of racism and to adopt a more independent stance on foreign policy.

In 1977, Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser was instrumental and played a key role in Gleneagles Agreement imposing sanctions on sporting ties with South Africa.

[7] In 1987, former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, in his role as the head of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group campaigning against apartheid, visited Nelson Mandela in prison.

[9] In the early 2000s, Australia's trade with South Africa had become more liberalized and they also played a significant role along with India in the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation.

[10] In March 2018, a diplomatic row broke out between the two countries after Australian cabinet minister Peter Dutton called for white South African farmers to be fast-tracked[11] as refugees, stating that "they need help from a civilised country",[12][13] with the Australian High Commissioner subsequently summoned by the South African foreign ministry, which expressed its offence at Dutton's statements, and demanded a “full retraction”.

According to the South African foreign ministry, previous attempts to get the advice changed were unsuccessful, and the escalation reflected the importance of the tourist sector to the economy.

[20] South African exports to Australia totaled A$1.8 billion and consisting of passenger motor vehicles, other ores & concentrates, machinery and parts, and pig-iron.