AUKUS News, Views, Analysis.

SAC

Junior Member
Staff member
Moderator - World Affairs
Registered Member
So, the incumbent Coalition (Liberal + National) government has lost the 2022 election and will be replaced by a Labor government led by Anthony Albanese as Prime Minister, with Penny Wong as Foreign Minister. Notably, Penny Wong's father is from Malaysia of Chinese descent. As such, she is the most senior political figure of Chinese descent in Australia's history.

In terms of Australia's relations with China, we are looking at broad-level continuity (i.e. strategic antagonism) with some limited opportunities for improvement. There have been indications that Beijing is seeking to reopen dialogue with Canberra, while the inauguration of a new government provides Canberra the opportunity to distance itself from some of the more rancorous developments under the previous government. Essentially, the opportunity is there for Canberra and Beijing to "turn over a new leaf" if they want it. Nonetheless, any positive developments in the relationship will be constrained not only by the high-level of continuity between the international/strategic perspectives of the previous Coalition government and the new Labor government, but by external pressure from what is now the political opposition, aided by Australia's powerful right-wing media, chiefly the Murdoch press.

This brings me to Peter Dutton. As I predicted in my previous post, former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has resigned as leader of the Liberal party following his electoral defeat. An unexpected development is that the most prominent candidate to replace him from the "moderate" wing of the Liberal party, Josh Frydenberg, has also lost his seat. This leaves Peter Dutton, as the most prominent candidate from the "conservative" wing of the Liberal party, as the prime candidate to succeed Scott Morrison as leader of the Liberal party. I have written previously about Dutton's anti-China rhetoric. It is likely that this rhetoric will continue and, now that Dutton and his party are free from the responsibilities of government, become even more belligerent. It is quite likely, therefore, that Dutton will be in a position to contest for the position of Prime Minister at the 2025 election and that he will run on an explicitly anti-China platform.

And on that note I am going to repost what is likely to be the most entertaining Albanese-Dutton interaction that will ever occur:


Agree that Dutton, if Leader of the opposition, will very likely utilise a strong anti-China platform at the next Federal Election. Noting that in Australia (and the UK amongst others) the election can be held at (almost) any time during the next 3 years. I have previously mentioned the possibility of conflict between the U.S. and China in 2024 as a result of internal politics in other countries.
 

supersnoop

Major
Registered Member
I saw an article today that said Dutton was telling reporters that Australia wanted to buy 10 Virginia SSN
10 is like half the US number, that is a lot of money.
So he wants to antagonize China but also wants them to keep buying Australian exports to fund their military... right...
 

emblem21

Major
Registered Member
I saw an article today that said Dutton was telling reporters that Australia wanted to buy 10 Virginia SSN
10 is like half the US number, that is a lot of money.
So he wants to antagonize China but also wants them to keep buying Australian exports to fund their military... right...
That man’s days are numbered, once the USA collapses into civil war and destroys itself good, he is going to eventually be hunted down without resistance and the entire white Australia leadership and USA affiliated neo cons are going to wiped out one of these days given that none of Australia’s neighbours are going to tolerate a white aligned police officer in the region for very long
 

antiterror13

Brigadier
I saw an article today that said Dutton was telling reporters that Australia wanted to buy 10 Virginia SSN
10 is like half the US number, that is a lot of money.
So he wants to antagonize China but also wants them to keep buying Australian exports to fund their military... right...

What he wants and what he gets are two huge different things

I'd be surprised if Aussie would even get one SSN by 2035 ... and at that time China would have many many 095 and 097
 

Lethe

Captain
I saw an article today that said Dutton was telling reporters that Australia wanted to buy 10 Virginia SSNS [....] So he wants to antagonize China but also wants them to keep buying Australian exports to fund their military... right...

Yet this is precisely what China is doing. Australia's major export to China is iron ore, and China seems to have no ready or even promising substitute for this.
 

Chish

Junior Member
Registered Member
I saw an article today that said Dutton was telling reporters that Australia wanted to buy 10 Virginia SSN
10 is like half the US number, that is a lot of money.
So he wants to antagonize China but also wants them to keep buying Australian exports to fund their military... right...
The main point of the article was that he admitted, as defence minister, the Australian Government had already decided secretly that they were going to buy all their sub from America. Two to be brought completed and 8 to be built in Australia with American technology. This was meant to be kept secret between Australia and US.
UK was being played just like the French. AUKUS is actually AUUS in this submarine deal.
 

supersnoop

Major
Registered Member
Yet this is precisely what China is doing. Australia's major export to China is iron ore, and China seems to have no ready or even promising substitute for this.

Then why cry when beef and wine are banned? It’s acting like a child who isn’t getting a second dessert.

It’s okay for China, the iron ore is going being put into good use, HSR trains, Carriers, and 055s
 

AndrewS

Brigadier
Registered Member
That man’s days are numbered, once the USA collapses into civil war and destroys itself good, he is going to eventually be hunted down without resistance and the entire white Australia leadership and USA affiliated neo cons are going to wiped out one of these days given that none of Australia’s neighbours are going to tolerate a white aligned police officer in the region for very long

Please don't exaggerate. Whilst it is possible that the US will collapse into civil war, it is still highly unlikely.
 

emblem21

Major
Registered Member
Please don't exaggerate. Whilst it is possible that the US will collapse into civil war, it is still highly unlikely.
Let’s wait for little bit, from a month to year or so, let’s see what end result will be if Biden fails to fix all his issues before mid terms and given that it has only been half a year and yet we see the failure in Ukraine and all of his fail conferences and lack of policies in dealing with supply chain shortages, we still have a lot more to go and all the damages this man is inflicting in the USA is permanent and one that he is capable of fixing anytime soon
 
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