While Vietnam was being fought Australia maintained forces in the region in support of other, peacetime, arrangements such as the Far East Strategic Reserve. Requests for extra support in Vietnam were being made but these were rejected, all the while our forces are maintaining a regular round of FESR and Alliance exercises and force/flag showing commitments in the SEA region.
WI govt policy was that combat operations come first, that having Australian forces in action is a better detterent than showing the flag in the FESR? I'm not going to suggest that moving a Sabre sqn and a few warships to Vietnam will alter the war, but it could alter Australia's standing in SEA and change our defence and foreign policy.