by Susan Safi for The Saker Blog
To understand what is happening between China and Australia currently, we need to examine some of the undercurrents in Australian politics and culture.
In the West, including Australia, “Democracy” has been presented to and instilled in the people as the measure of civilization, development and justice. Maybe there was a time when this was true for some, provided they turned a blind eye to so many things.
This writer once believed democracy could be achieved by stronger, skilful participation in a political party where motions voted on and passed could even make their way into national policy. This is how it looked in Australia because the framework was there. Having ongoing access to Senators, Ministers, Members of Parliaments, shadow ministers and other senior politicians in opposition and smaller parties, indicated an accessible, tangible semblance of democracy where ideas, concerns, contributions to solutions could be freely discussed, including issues related to foreign policy, security and agricultural innovations. But was it all a cynical game? Some politicians, before they reached the most senior positions, were honest about many issues. One of them, not too long ago, told us in confidence something we already knew; that the West was supporting terrorists to take down the Syrian government. Did any of those politicians we had frank discussions with truly possess any power to discuss such issues or opinions with their peers and in parliament? If they had, would they have got away with flouting the “rules”; that is, to never go against big power interests, the American Embassy and any other big lobbies with clout. This is the status of democracy when it comes to Australia, and it should not be a surprise to anyone.
But is there also a cultural side to the current problem being discussed. Australia has a history of believing that it cannot stand alone and must have a protector, a strong military alliance with the biggest power of the day; first it was Britain, the former colonizer and then the USA. Until the end of the Second World War, Australia saw Britain as its protector, despite Australian soldiers being used as expendable cannon fodder by the Empire during WWI. But that was not enough to nudge Australia into waking up and seeking neutrality. The fear of invasion regularly entered the national discourse, likely at strategic times pushed along by government propaganda. After WWII, the geopolitical shifts led to Australia welcoming the United States as the new protector and ally. Australia is also a member of the intelligence alliance known as “Five Eyes” as well as the military ANZUS Alliance. Even in the political framework, which is based on a duopoly, a two-party system, each of the two major parties in Australia considers its political ally to be either the American “Republicans” or the “Democrats”. The two major political parties in Australia disagree and fight over every issue regardless how insignificant, but the one thing they both would never re-visit, is their bi-partisan approach to following America’s directives on foreign policy. And, when America asks Australia to jump, the Prime Minister answers “how high?” and the opposition does not bat an eyelid. Never mind what wars and mischief any of those American administrations involved themselves in, started or lied themselves into, dragging their small, compliant ally, Australia, into sharing the blame but not the “spoils” of wreaking death, destruction and sheer piracy world-wide, under the guise of “protecting our way of life”.
The COVID-19 issue seems to have caused some unintended consequences in terms of the perceptions and realities of the order of the world. Are the people of Australia going to allow their leadership, whatever party they come from, to, as usual, follow the orders of their “master” and sink with them to the bottom of the sea? Why would a nation such as Australia, a wealthy country with everything going for it do that? Does its leadership in parliament and its leadership–in-waiting truly think their great “ally” and “partner”, the USA, cares one bit about Australia and her well-being?
The only viable option for Australia’s politicians is to realise they must urgently engage in serious nation building, ensure good relations across the world and be officially a neutral county. Perhaps a good read of the book “Dangerous Allies” by the former conservative Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Fraser, might enlighten some. Here in 2014 he discusses his book. That’s a long time ago in this fast-changing world. Why is it that Australian leaders don’t take heed of his warnings? Australia must listen to Fraser when he addressed Australians saying that (we) must “recapture our strategic independence”. Retired, ageing leaders often are more open about such realities and have little to lose. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F69baWypks
So commonly in Australia, there are displays of anger and outrage at some event affecting the country, intertwined with displays of a great sense of victimhood. Have we in Australia not done a study to identify our unique trading items which China badly needs? Have we not analysed whether or not disentangling from the USA is necessary and instead taking the road of neutrality, independently working on making that important trading relationship with China into one of win-win? And if that is not possible, have we not other trading partners? We need to believe in ourselves and we need to show that we possess strong bargaining tools and only accept fair, reciprocally beneficial deals.
Australia’s dependence on trade with China is not a one way street as many Australians, including the media and politicians seem to portray. It may well be the other way around. Afterall, Australia is by far the world’s largest producer of iron ore, which is very accessible, of very high quality and inexpensive to transport to China. As the largest producer of lithium, a highly strategic material for military and electronic applications, Australia is a reliable supplier of this to China. Furthermore, it is estimated that by 2021 Australia will be the world’s top producer of gold up from its current second position, and although Australia should be storing great reserves of it, the bulk of it goes to China. We have so much to offer, but we should come only from a position of strength, and, above all, the approach to this trading relationship should be from a national perspective of benefitting the collective rather than allowing individual business tycoons to dominate the relationship.
Australia imports 595 types of goods from China; that is 27.6% of total imports. Of those items, 167 are apparently deemed as “critical”. The rest of the Western world is in a similar predicament after allowing its manufacturing base to deteriorate and increasingly becoming dependent on goods from China’s burgeoning manufacturing sector. The implications of winding down the nation’s manufacturing base and other essential industries seem not to have been analysed during that winding down process, and neither has the potential impact on national security or compromising national sovereignty been considered. We are apparently now in a situation where we don’t have the ability to manufacture common medicines for the nation; https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/greatest-peril-study-finds-australia-most-dependent-on-china-among-the-five-eyes-20200514-p54ssg.html
The story of trade and relations with China, when it comes to Australia, is perhaps similar to that of many other Western countries where the good of the nation is not taken into consideration but rather, the big businesses rush to China to make dizzying fortunes and quick profits. The relationship of a sparsely -populated but resource rich country such as Australia with China needs to be part of the national development plan, and not a free game card for the tycoons. We somehow need to change the culture of Australian politicians and parties who only care about short-term gains, because they are only concerned with getting elected and re-elected. If we don’t take action urgently to awaken and alarm these politicians, where will their motivation be to engage in substantial nation-building projects, ensuring the viability, well-being and security of the nation and being true leaders and servants of the people? We will in fact truly become “victims” if we don’t heed this warning.
Australia should eschew all that is wrong with the ally we follow and obey. We followed their footsteps in taking our manufacturing base off-shore, thereby inevitably strengthening those nations and eroding the backbone of what makes a viable nation. We followed their economic models and many of their social policies, turning our backs on what underpinned commonly held values in Australia. Where do we stand today with the fall-out of the COVID-19 issue which exposes the reality of the nature of ruin in United States and the fact that we followed their philosophy of “the American/Western way of life”?
China often threatens Australia with trade sanctions and has already imposed an embargo on Australian beef. And recently, the Australian Trade Minister is having problems communicating with the Chinese because allegedly they are not returning his phone calls. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-17/coronavirus-china-investigation-trade-barley-beef/12256896 The beef industry is up in arms trying to resolve the impasse, and the government sees a silver lining in China’s rising dependence and “addiction” to Australian baby formula milk. As a matter of fact, Australian products are highly prized by Chinese consumers and are regarded to have exceptionally high quality. This is a huge plus for Australia.
It is as if the Australia Government is totally unaware of its bargaining power and the extent of Chinese dependence on Australian imports that they are unable to source from other suppliers.
China can get beef from Brazil or Argentina for example, but where would China go to find iron ore in the quality and amounts it imports from Australia? Where will it source its highly prized lithium from and what about Gold? And this is not to mention other supplies of which Australia is a major global producer.
The issue at hand here is that China deals with Australia collectively. In Western language, this is seen as “totalitarian” and taboo. But on the other side of the scale, Australia does not only pander to the USA, but it also allows Australian companies to make international deals even if they are damaging to the national economy and security. In the Western language, this is called “free enterprise”.
With all the above said, the manner in which Australia deals with China is rather farcical. Raising the ire of the Chinese would be the fact that, on the one hand, Australia implores them to remove Chinese sanctions on Australian goods, whilst at the same time, Australia sailing out with their strongman American ally, into waters are under dispute, just in order to demonstrate their “world policemen” cabal status. Then, at this delicate time, adding insult to injury, Australia enthusiastically participates in the US led push for an enquiry into China and the WHO, with the implication of legal ramifications. The hypocrisy of this all is palpable, a grovelling trade partner one minute and a participant in world policing the next. China must look at Australia and wonder whether this trading partner is a valued and reliable one, or merely one that when it is necessary, needs to show their loyalty to their military and political ally, America.
Australia needs to redefine its position in the world, be on good terms with all nations, including China and America, on terms that can be negotiated in a manner that suits all, with all parties on equal par with each other.
Afterall, if land-locked, tiny and resourceless Switzerland was able to stay neutral during WWII, why is it that Australia cannot even try?
Perhaps because Whitlam was made an example of? Maybe Harold Holt as well?
OR maybe the Jewish lobby in the US has tenticles in OZ?
I asked my ex military MP a year ago how he thought the relationships needed to be manaaged and his answer was “very carefully”.
As a juggler SCOMO looks for all the world like he has downs syndrome and parkinsons disease.
Indeed, poor old Gough Whitlam was very fortunate in that they found a way to get rid of him without having to assassinate him.
If Gough had stayed in power, I believe Australia would have found itself on the receiving end of a “colour revolution”.
Dear Ultrafart,
I am not a fan of Gough, but the colour revolution was in play. Brigadier Ted Serong, both ASIS & CIA was asked to and indeed did approach certain members of the military to support a military takeover of Australia, but they declined stating that Australia had no faith in such a takeover, and the military would not stoop to such a level, and so Ted Serong retired.
Our treasurer is a self proclaimed Zionist who has pictures of himself celebrating the anniversary of 9/11 with his fellow Zionist friends on his blog.
The big four accounting firms are currently trying to take over Australia’s money supply and ban cash. Bitcoin only grows more useful.
Well, the problem is simple. People have become so comfortable and self absorbed in their own little bubble, house, car, dog, vacation, iphone and some weed and powder, the country don’t matter anymore.
This is where the eagle eyed kabal has come in, in the last 20 years and pretty much taken over that country as well. I mean, the take over of the US was complete when Clinton became president. Oz probably a couple of years later.
Holt ran afoul of LBJ in wanting to have deals with China.
Gough’s team upset Dicky over bases.
ScoMo is only there as a temp. And he’s starting to look like a loser. Wont be long before he’s replaced.
Too many foreign agents in elected positions in AU, US and elsewhere.
Australia doesn’t “pander to the USA”. We are a branch office.
One would think so, yes:
“… when America asks Australia to jump, the Prime Minister answers ‘how high?’”
A cartoon illustrating a Chinadaily article (15/5/20 – “Canberra indulging in wishful thinking”): The US as Don Quichote, sending his squire Sancho Panza (Australia) to fight windmills (the China “threat”).
Then: “Canberra is raising the most raucous voice in support of … a US-initiated vilification campaign against China. … Unrealistic and naive for Canberra to believe the bilateral relationship will continue business as usual while it is closely toeing Washington’s line to corner Beijing on all fronts.You cannot eat the cake and have it too.” https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202005/15/WS5ebd33dba310a8b241155c33.html
Seems the Aussie Agric. minister will wait for a while yet for his call to be returned.
Thanks to Ms. Safi for this analysis.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1188487.shtml
Australia has $153.2 billion reasons not to pick a fight with China, its biggest trade partner. However, the country has emerged as one of the most loyal US attack dogs in a seemingly all-out campaign against China over the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While other countries, including Washington’s close allies, have steered clear, at least publicly, from Washington’s attempt to scapegoat China for its own failure to stem the virus, Canberra backed US officials’ claims over the virus origin and called for an investigation into China’s handling of the pandemic.
Beijing is not pleased with Canberra. It has repeatedly lodged complaints against Australia’s position, yet has stopped short of taking concrete countermeasures, economic or otherwise, against Australia. But that hasn’t prevented Canberra from claiming “economic coercion” from Beijing.
The brits and aussies are American lap dogs. Canary in the coal mine. Its sad they fight each other to be first in the shaft.
Add Canada to that list.
I think Australia’s currency, the “dollar”, is one aspect of their subservience to the USA.
When Australia was in the process of decimalizing its currency in 1966, the name ‘dollar’* was chosen to be worth 10 shillings (or half a pound) of the older currency so that it could be higher in value than the US dollar.
The problem is, this was based on the fiat exchange rate** between the US dollar and the pound as opposed to the original Spanish silver dollar unit that served as the basis for the Hong Kong and Singapore dollars. As a result, the silver-colored coins ended up being larger and heavier than their US and Canadian counterparts, such as the 10-cent piece (23.6 mm, 5.65 g) being slightly lighter than the US quarter (24.26 mm, 5.67 g).
In other words, the Australian ‘dollar’ is a pound sterling-based currency LARPing as a dollar-based one, a decision based on the US dollar being the world reserve currency.
My two cents worth.
* The name ‘royal’ was chosen at one point, but it proved to be so unpopular among the general public.
** At the time Australia went decimal in 1966, the Australian pound was worth US$2.24. Until WWII the British pound sterling used to be worth US$4.
Can’t but agree with the author. Additionally we should nationalize our gas reserves. We are indeed the lucky country, but that is being abused and only the rich are benefiting. I express similar comments on FB and am met with a wall of silence. Others wanting to confiscate Chinese assets in Oz and even cut off trade completely are smothered with a horde of likes. The population has been manipulated by the media and government to act against their own interests and are too ignorant to realize it, its quite disheartening.
China grabbing those islands may help them geostrategically but it hasn’t improved their image in parts of SE Asia and especially Australia, as they appear expansionist and aggressive. The other issue is China buying up a lot of land and food companies, even though the government approves all these it has become a “selling off the farm issue”. The US and UK probably own more but get a free pass as allies. The whole thing is irrational. In reality as we can’t buy land in China we should simply reciprocate the same policy, problem solved.
Australia is well positioned to be a very wealthy neutral power and friend to all countries including Russia. However it is not going down that path and probably won’t in the foreseeable future.
‘China can get beef from Brazil or Argentina for example, but where would China go to find iron ore in the quality and amounts it imports from Australia? Where will it source its highly prized lithium from and what about Gold? And this is not to mention other supplies of which Australia is a major global producer.”
There is nothing Australia produces that China can’t get elsewhere.It might cost a little more,but they can get it.And its worth the extra cost to make an example of Australia.The 5 biggest producers of iron ore are in order,China herself,Australia,Brazil,India,and Russia.As of now Australia has the biggest “known” reserves.But that could change in the future.If China was to open her checkbook to suppliers in Brazil,India,and Russia,its very likely they could make up for the lost Australian imports.As to lithium,Chile has over 3 times the reserves of Australia.And Argentina over 50% as much in reserves as Australia.Both countries are in serious need of Chinese money.And could easily supply any lithium losses from cutting trade with Australia. As to gold,South African gold deposits are 60% of Australian,and Russian known deposits are over 50% of Australian.China herself is the largest current producer,though her deposits are about 25% of Australian. So as can be seen here,Australia holds no strangle hold on China.While on the other hand good luck on Australia finding anywhere to sell their exports if China cuts off trade with them.Does any Australian think the US is going to do Australia a favor and buy hundreds of billions of Australian exports.Let me know,because I’d like to sell that person a bridge I own.
No,Australia is very lucky that China doesn’t want to break relations with Australia. They’ve spend years cultivating those relations. But there comes a time when a country must accept that they need to stop being the whipping boy in a relationship.And breaking those ties with Australia would help China in the long run.While the countries around the world that would get the exports lost by Australia would be much more friendly to China than the US dominated Australia would/could ever be.
The idea of Australia improving relations with China and not being in the pocket of the US has long been discussed as per this…..
…snippet from the 2012: Looking Backwards, Looking Ahead – 40 years of Australia-China Relations.
Conference and Discussion paper.
“A traditional Chinese proverb states that ‘history is a mirror’. Solution to the problems
experienced in current Sino–Australian relations may be found in history. Gough Whitlam
is considered the father of the Sino–Australian relationship. His decision in 1971 to visit
China as the leader of the Opposition was courageous and farsighted. The coalition
government was conducting a ‘hawk’ policy towards China during that period. As a
result, China decided to stop importing wheat from Australia and turned to Canada,
which had formed a diplomatic relationship with China in 1970. Under pressure from the
agricultural sector, the Australian coalition government tried to improve its relationship
with China, but made limited progress. This was the driving force behind Whitlam’s visit.
An anti-China policy brought no benefit to Australia and only damaged economic
interests. This is the first lesson we can learn from history.
Whitlam did not know that Dr Henry Kissinger, then the National Security Advisor of the
US president, was also in China at almost the same time. Kissinger’s secret visit and the
subsequent joint statement on the US president’s proposed trip to China shocked the
world. The US tried to improve its relationship with its previous enemy without prior
consultation with any of its allies, while the Australian government still viewed the
establishment of diplomatic relations with China as wishful thinking. This is the second
lesson we can learn. Loyalty to the US alliance does not mean Australian policy should be
bound by its ally’s policy, because the US’s strategy may itself change dramatically.”
… the entire document is worth reading for its wisdom.
forgot the link
https://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0037/299818/Regional-Outlook-Paper-42-Australia-China-Futures-Dialogue-web.pdf
Switzerland was able to stay neutral in WWII because that is where the Nazis etc. kept their $$$$$ safe during the war!
The average white Australian doesn’t have a clue about anything that goes on outside of Australia and no understanding of what an economy is. Even our alternate media is woefully inept at discussing issues outside of the narrow range of acceptable discussion.
Australia was the third country to fly into space. Australia’s economy has systematically been dismantled by the traditional powers and we are left in the position we find ourselves in today. A resource hub and property bubble for foreign capital.
The Citizens Electoral Party have a lot of great ideas to re-industrialise the country again, but they are hardly well known.
Our government is currently passing all sorts of neoliberal legislation while parliament has been suspended due to our government being a complete pack of cowards.
Friendlyjordies seems to be one of Australia’s best news sources at the moment.
For Australia to solve the riddle of its confused and confusing policies, one should look squarely in the face the fact that Australia is not a fully sovereign country, although by and large Australians live with delusion, but a ‘realm of the (British) Commonwealth of Nations’. Ultimately its foreign policy is dictated, by His/Her Majesty from London. The Gough Whitlam scenario can be repeated any time, especially if a war is looming. Its participation in the ‘Five Eyes’ alliance, makes it a member of NATO.
Its ‘confused’ attitude towards China is compounded by the deep seated mental ‘colonial’ attitude of ‘White Australia’. The populace approves this policy. China can’t do without our iron and beef and infant milk formula! Australians are not concerned that they would loose the Chinese market. They are baffled that China manifests its economic independence.
So, for Australia to have its own policy it should sever all ties with UK, view itself as a Pacific (if not Asian) country and not simply a vanguard of the ‘West’ in the Pacific. But that will not happen anytime soon.
“So, for Australia to have its own policy it should sever all ties with UK, view itself as a Pacific (if not Asian) country”
This seems so sensible.
So much better for the Australian combination of inferiority complex and “manly bluster.”
Just look at the map (which I just did). It is obvious that Australia, physically isolated from the rest of the world, would do well to try to get itself integrated and on good terms with the nations nearest it. Not have its policies dictated by a microscopic speck literally on the other side of the planet.
But I guess maybe Australia is really “managed” from the US Navy base in Hawaii.
Or maybe Australia is too racist to want to have good relations with the countries and peoples nearest to it.
Katherine
Killing neo-liberal polices of free market world trade that have expanded over the last 60 years. US is now looking to protect itself from policies that act on competive world trade. Australia is left out in a limb trying to balance security with trade. Oh how ‘times are a changing’ when self-interest intervenes.
And talking of loyalty to our ‘protector’ – how loyal is/was Donald Trump to his staff, compaign managers, helpers etc.? Would you ever consider working for a man so devoid of loyalty to others. I could easily imagine him dumping Melinia should he wish to promote his brand. Think Flynn, Page, Maniforth, Pappadopolus, Stone, etc. Now think of Australia’s needs in the narrow passages of his or his administration’s consciousness..Also bear in mind his envoy Pompeo and understand that the most dangerous warmonger is religious one be it a mad muslim or a fundamental American christian.
Why is it that US politicians and mainstream media treat their citizens as if they have IQ levels of 50 when the average is 100? Could it be because the general population is more worried about income, jobs, health security and family and have only have time to look at headlines. Is this why two clowns are running for office? The destruction of the empire will happen from within while China and Russia need do zilch, while Australia need to look elsewhere if they indeed really need another military breast to suckle.
Like many subservient states, the political class in Australia is corrupt to the core. Orders are taken from the US Embassy.
The MSM is of CNN class, which is to say “not very sophisticated” in its dissemination of propaganda.
To not plainly see this, you would have to be living under a rock.
Nowhere but a downward spiral for Australia while it is taking dictates from the US Embassy (CIA).
Dear Susan Safi
You left out one cultural reason whilst you were talking about Australia’s confused stance towards china. That reason is best described by the English when they say , “Blood is thicker than water”. I know it is deeply hidden in the sub-conscious, but Australia is “White” and prefers to go with it’s white brothers. That it has to deal with the ‘yellow’ deplorable is an inconvenience brought about by reality, in the form of hunger & greed.
‘Australian culture’ is another example of words that do not belong together …. like ‘Military Intelligence’, ‘Italian rugby’ and ‘Women drivers’. TEP.
Switerland got awawy with neitrality by being the place where everyone stores their loot. You can’t be on good terms with both America and China. A choice will be forced at the end of the line of least resistance.
The only viable option for Australia’s politicians is to realise they must urgently engage in serious nation building, ensure good relations across the world and be officially a neutral county.
Forgive me for saying this but that’s going to take some doing. Ever since at least the end of the Cold War and more so during the run-up to the 2nd Gulf War, Australia has ‘nailed its colours to the US’s mast’ as it were, so much so that it’s difficult — as far as foreign policy goes — to differentiate Australia from America. It’s not for nothing that Australia is called cowboy Washington’s ‘deputy sheriff’ in much of Asia.
Well all right, Australia’s need for a protective umbrella from a great power is understandable seeing that it is a vast country — a continent, in fact — with a relatively small population in a somewhat rough neighbourhood of newly ‘democratising’ nations, especially the populous giant one, up north just past the air-sea gap. But that was then — during the Cold War.
Now, the real issue for Australia and the rest of the nations of East Asia — including Japan, Taiwan and South Korea — is actually the great power rivalry between the Hegemon and China. That’s the single most important issue. Everything else hinges on it, even if a country imagines it is not hostage to the ‘great game’ being played by the two players. If push comes to shove, all the others are just pawns, really. The quicker we realise that, the better.
Someone like Australian academic Hugh White, who agrees with US hegemony in the Asia Pacific in the past, I think, realises that fact and has been advocating accomodation — by both parties, US and PRC — to facilitate some arrangement on power sharing in East Asia, the region most relevant to Australia. To my mind White is a huge optimist (no pun intended) and it is a very tall order but Australians can hope it comes to pass.
Back to the Colours, perhaps Australia can start to un-nail it from the US mast by emulating some of the finest hedgers in the nations to its north, in ASEAN. Some countries there can host US warships and spy planes and still be on good terms with China. As a group they are willing to stay home and ignore senior US officials when Trump doesn’t come to their jamborees but still send their militaries to train with the US military. Some train with both the US and Chinese militaries. Some have reservations about China’s intentions in the region but buy Chinese military equipment nonetheless, something that requires a certain degree of trust. And some have fights with China in the high seas, openly welcome US presence but still trade with and invite Chinese investments in infrastructure works.
Kiwi living in Sydney here.
I think Australia needs to be put in its place but at the same time I’m worried at how badly it will hurt the country because unlike the blind Aussies I know through and through there is nothing special or unique about any part of this dust bowl.
Production, transport and port costs are high, the fruit and vege is rubbish (compared to NZ / UK) and yet people here seem to think Australia has an upper hand!
Don’t know where this attitude has come from, perhaps it’s a certain arrogance the Aussies have always had… One thing is for certain though, the US influence is extream and strong here compares to New Zealand.
Side note, an Australian coal company called Tiger Realm has invested massively in Russian coking coal. A lot of development regarding this is happening in the Chukotka region / Beringovsky. Says something about where the moneys to be made from Natural resources…
epina39
English is not my native language, but I can appreciate a text written in good English. This article is read with pleasure because of its content (I think I agree with it) and also for its language (sentences are read from beginning to end without mind-boggling effects and the next sentence concatenates logically with the previous one). All in all, this article contains neither jargon language nor a profusion of acronyms, as is unfortunately common in other articles (I except of course The Saker whose language is beautiful).
English may not be your native language……………yet you have a better handle of it than most native English speakers…..lol, even had me looking up a word.
Well Said, and it holds true for many other countries as well,
The last Prime Minister who tried to be more independent was Kevin Rudd. He can speak Mandarin and was trying to cultivate closer ties to China. Rudd started the NBN and was trying to introduce a “Mining Tax” before he was stabbed in the back (politically) and dumped from office not even up to 2 years in his role as Prime Minister.
Australia is not is charge of their own nation and they are not alone. If they tried to become free they would get attacked or sanctioned. These not so smart people in Australia, Canada and by and large the western vassal states who serve American interests rub their hands with glee when sanctions are called for on Russia and others but they not smart enough to see they are just strengthening the bonds of their own slavery. America cannot put food on the table of their own so if these servants are waiting for a raise they are dreaming. The empire needs more and more and they own you so your contributions to their cause will only increase. Australians and Canadians love to die or kill for someone else they believe it makes them a nation when in fact it makes them less of a nation every time it is bombs away. The most pathetic slaves are the ones that believe they are free. Are you listening Australia and Canada if you do some day you may become a real nation. .
The aborigines took car of that continent for 50,000 years. The industrial society won’t get one thousand years out of that continent after they are done exploiting and polluting it. The psyche of the Australians demands the extermination of the natives, under the guise of eliminating “primitiveness” and “taking care” of them in a humanitarian way. But the real reason is that Australians are part of the West’s death culture.
Native people hand their knowledge and wisdom down to younger generations through oral histories and cultural rituals and symbols. Their knowledge and wisdom go back many thousands of years. The West is compelled to exterminate native populations, because their knowledge and wisdom is too hard to falsify as it is in the West’s word-based “knowledge” base which is false. If too many people learned of what the natives learned about 6,000 years ago, the West’s false reality would be unveiled and the evil ones would not be able to rule the world anymore.
Australia would do well to understand that it is suffering from its own RELIGIOUS bigotry. All the ills mentioned above; hypocrisy, unreliability, dishonest trader syndrome, and more are able to be shorted home to years of hypocrisy unreliability etc in relation to a five decade long old-fashioned persecution of religious minorities. All Fraser needed to say was stop “christianise or pulverise” ourselves at U.S. direction.
Everything America led the political class in Oz to do will/is going to be revisited on us as a nation.
Our future is self-created.
Excellent article. I could not agree more. Thank you for the reference to Malcolm Fraser’s take. I will check him out.
Lots of good stuff here but just a few points.
1.We essentially are a one media nation ie Rupert Murdoch rules the airwaves, so dissenting thought is practically impossible.
2. Kevin Rudd was probably pushed out in the same way as Gough Whitlam. because of a weak and toadying ALP they do not need extreme solutions and can usually manage to get the ALP to do the USA/CIA dirty work for them
3. Malcolm fraser’s story is very strange. After being the chief patsy for the CIA in the removal of Whitlam he very much changed sides as he aged so whereas in 1975 he was the most hated Australian by all those of a left leaning progressive point of view by the time of his death he was well to the left of most and particularly of the supposedly “left wing’ ALP. oddly enough he did not change his views too much- the political lurch to the right was enormous.
4. The government and the media are fanning the flames of sinophobia, and for all intents and purposes are softening us up for a protracted war with china, possibly only a trade war, but potentially a kinetic war.
5. Our agricultural, resources and education sectors may turn the tide, given how dependent they are on exports to China and how difficult it would be to replace the Chinese market. This is a watch this space moment so it could go any way.
6. sadly for stupid Australia, China has just closed down our barley exports, presumably in a quid pro quo for our actions over the COVID inquiry when we became the US mouthpiece. Oddly enough the winners will be the US barley exporters who presumably will fill the gap. The rural sector is powerful in australia and the current government cannot stay in power without the support of the farmers, so we are heading into some interesting times
7. Australia now hosts a huge Chinese diaspora and in the event of serious deterioration in relations this will prove a very difficult issue
8. Without in any way wanting to incite hostility, we have to our north a huge, populous medium power who love us not. Whereas the largely secular Chinese fit quite comfortably into Australia, it is not quite so clear that the Sunni Muslim Indonesians are quite so well disposed. Once we lose our powerful big bother ie USA, a near certainty as US power wanes, our northern neighbor may flex its muscles. We could find ourselves in the bizarre situation of needing Chinese military support.
Since the dawn of history, tribes have fought and killed members of other tribes in order to secure their own survival. The last six thousand years is replete with examples of one tribe/nation expanding into another tribes/nations territory and wiping them out, enslaving them or forcing them to move elsewhere. Sometimes, this forced the dispossessed tribe to become the invader elsewhere. Might was right and that was the way of the world. It still is.
50,000 years ago the scattered native tribes eked a living from the land now known as Australia. Their lives had changed little in that time. When the British arrived, the natives had no answer to the superior weaponry of the invaders so they fought and died, became an underclass or fled. Just like all the previous peoples had all around the world. Why is Australia so different?
You may say, because the Aboriginal culture was so rich, diverse and so in-tune with nature. Maybe you should try living that way of life before you rush to preserve it.
The vast majority of modern men and women who fantasize about the noble savage and his lifestyle would not survive more that two or three weeks in Australia’s harsh terrain. Just look at how some of the early explorers fared and they were hard men who thought that they were prepared.
The glorification of the Aboriginal way of life is just another opportunity for the virtue signallers and globalists to split the Australian people in order to weaken the nation as a whole.
The solution to Aboriginal problems has been decades of Australian tax payers money squandered on poorly planned schemes with little or no benefit to the Aborigines whose plight remains a national disgrace.
Aborigines too, need to stop blaming the invaders and take responsibility for their own lives and the decisions that they make. The opportunities are there. Until they do, they are condemning themselves and their families to more of the same.
I’m sure that the politicians running these “5-eyes” countries can see the writing on the wall.. whilst the Big Question (for the economy) is how to get off this train wreck when you’ve been chained to it from the get-go, their leaders Big Question will be how to secure their retirement plans. Going against the current is not an option.
Many other nations in that part of the world (eg The Philippines) are managing to Not commit all their eggs to one superpower. But they’ve had the “benefit” of hindsight and already know what it’s like to be a 2nd class citizen in your own country, thanks to one white empire or another..
However as mentioned in the “5-eyes” alliance there are huge cultural hurdles to overcome. Most anglo citizens cannot tell the difference between Chinese & Japanese, and there will be folks (& their family) still alive who remember “The Yellow Peril”.
The MSM in these nations, beholden to western imperial interests, will not be helping, in fact they’re cranking up the anti-chinese rhetoric beyond belief. The media will be full of Chinese expansionism whilst ignoring that there is already a regional hegemony which every other tiny speck of islet is a protectorate of…
Yes the anti Chinese rhetoric is a disgrace- including from the government run ABC. it is in fact quite scary.
However the agricultural/resources sector is very powerful, especially because they effectively (via the Nationals formerly the Country party) hold the balance of power in the parliament. Yes the nationals are a pathetic and weak puppets of the USA BUT the brains and financial support behind them are not so stupid and depend on exports to China.
I am not going to make predictions at this time but without some massive bail out by the USA (which is not going to happen) or some miraculous boost in imports from India or maybe Indonesia (the only two nations of a size to replace the Chinese market), Australia will suffer severely from deteriorating relations with China.
I would not be surprised to see a major political shift in the next few months. Oddly enough watch the odd ball Barnaby Joyce, who despite being an anti Chinese type and a bit of a nutter is also not really stupid (most Aussies will disagree but although odd and fond of the bottle he can see reality). Barnaby’s return as Nationals leader (possible) could see a shift. As i say this is not a prediction since i am by no means sure what will happen but i think it is possible.
Well certainly most Aussies cannot tell Chinese from Japanese without hearing them speak or knowing their names, just as I guess most Chinese could not tell a Russian from a Swede. Northern Chinese can look very similar to Japanese and indeed i would say president Xi has very Japanese hair (a little thicker than standard Chinese). many others from the South of China look very much like Vietnamese, while i know of a young lad from China who could well have been a Sumo wrestler or even a Polynesian – he is/was huge.
The yellow peril stuff was of course widespread in the 50s/60s and was pushed by the fiercely anti communist and very strongly catholic party known as the DLP. Even today much of the hostility to China comes from the descendants of these fiercely anti communist Catholics.
Proceeding from the assumption that the American-led bloc will become lastingly more hostile to China, I predict that Australia will remain an American satellite, and will lose a substantial amount of Chinese business. Defense ties with countries like India, Vietnam, Japan will be enhanced. Relations between China and Australia will decrease in amity, but shall still exist. There will probably be limited, but still greater than zero, participation in eastern initiatives like Belt and Road. India, Australia, and New Zealand might coordinate their role within RCEP… Thanks to Susan Safi for highlighting some of the strategic economic sectors.
This 2 edged sword Australia has with China is due to a paradox of 2 conflicting financial facts.
Foreign investments in Australia (mainly UK & US & EU) in export industries want AU-China trade to be good to line their pockets as dividends, interest and capital gains.
Conversely foreign banking interests, particularly US ones, want conflict with China to resolve their own financial imbalances and problems.
AU is caught in the middle. (Canada & NZ also too to some extent)
AU as been pandering to these interests since 1970 when mineral exports were cranked up.
Japan & Korea exports imports are also in this equation.
Also tied in with this is the floated $A and corrupt politicians that have infested Parliament since Fraser left office in 1983 – mostly from NSW / Sydney.
The only way for Aust to become independent of this is to boost its population in the long term to 50-100 million sourced from mostly EU/UK sources (& Russia / India too), not Asia. These must be people with money or skills, not refugees. And expand cities inland.
There will not be any change to this situation until the corrupt are removed, and given trends in elections in the past decade (7 different PMs in the past decade) that situation looks like it coming sooner rather than later.
As for China, AU needs to divorce itself from too much US influence (while also scrutinizing Chinese conduct) and act as intermediary to help to sort out US-China disputes.
One of the other problems for Australia is that long term unless the US-China issues are sorted out to US satisfaction China itself may falter as the US decreases its capacity to pay for Chinese goods which have a component of AU raw materials in them.
So long term its in AU’s interests to support US on China issues.
The US does a a genuine gripe with many China trade practices. But those also extend to Taiwan, EU and other countries too.
If Trump had not acted to deal with this the US would be almost insolvent within a few years.
thanks very much for interesting article Susan Safi,
this sentence
Why is it that Australian leaders don’t take heed of his warnings? Australia must listen to Fraser when he addressed Australians saying that (we) must “recapture our strategic independence”. Retired, ageing leaders often are more open about such realities and have little to lose. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F69baWypks
Sadly the reason leaders don’t take heed is that they take money from USA – the US gives bags of money away to compliant leaders as Paul Craig Roberts so often says. He should know.
Soraya Ulrich has pointed out – the only time ‘leaders’ speak up is AFTER – the word ‘former’ as in former prime minister, former senator etc is always at the beginning of their expose of the diabolical bribery that constantly goes on.
Its a broken system, but I certainly don’t want to go the way of loyal Chinese citizens either. We need anarchy.
And btw – Catherine Austin Fitts knows better as far as people not foreseeing that China would become the strongest nation economically if all businesses were off-shored there. Of course the people at the top knew that would happen. How could they not have foreseen this ? Its impossible to think that it was stupidity. No way.
Its part of the plan to get China as big as it is. China is known to be non-aggressive and non-expansionary – so its about the grand plan which China is on board with.
Agenda 2030 where we all will be living in China or you could also call it Israel. Israel is a prototype to see how to deal with baggage humans…Palestinians…. which will be all of us.
Smart cities will be run on Chinese blueprints…and those who refuse – will be Palestinians.