The two countries have a long history of close collaboration in military affairs . In modern times they are members of the AUSCANNZUKUS military alliance including the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance with the US , Canada and New Zealand , and the Five Power Defence Arrangements with Malaysia , Singapore and New Zealand . They also collaborate in ad-hoc groupings like Combined Task Force 151 to counter piracy off Somalia , and the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in 2014 . Australia shared the British honours system until 1975 , and so four Australians were awarded the Victoria Cross in the Vietnam War despite Britain not participating . Australia created its own VC in 1991 , made from the same block of metal as the British ones
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
Australia–United Kingdom relations