When former and current Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)聽chiefs feel impelled to contradict defence minister Peter Dutton鈥檚 war mongering, you know the wannabe Australian general has overstepped the mark 鈥斅爀ven for the state鈥檚 security apparatus.
ASIO chief聽聽made no secret of his displeasure聽that Dutton told parliament about an alleged 鈥渇oreign interference plot鈥 during聽a Senate Estimates Committee in mid-February. Dutton also聽claimed聽that the Chinese Communist Party is backing Anthony Albanese鈥檚 election campaign, describing the Labor leader as 鈥渢he Manchurian candidate鈥.
Burgess said ASIO had foiled the alleged plot, which involved an entity searching for 鈥渃andidates likely to run in the election who either supported the interests of the foreign government or who were assessed as vulnerable to inducements and cultivation鈥.
He also said foreign interference is 鈥渘ot confined to one side of politics鈥.
Undeterred, Dutton is pressing on with his khaki election campaign. For the past two weeks he has said it is 鈥渋nevitable鈥 that Russia will invade Ukraine, mimicking United States President Joe Biden and his secretary of defense.
The Coalition government is salivating at the distraction, after聽having failed to keep the most vulnerable people safe and many more financially secure during the most serious crisis the country has faced in a generation 鈥斅爐he pandemic.
In more than two years, this rich island nation, with its natural defences, did not plan, nor organise, to vaccinate聽. Mantamaru, 1000 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, is in lockdown and remains vulnerable as the state prepares to open its borders.
Facing a growing disapproval rating, and with Labor determined not to differentiate itself on the big policy questions, the Ukraine crisis is providing the Coalition with the perfect opportunity to capitalise on people鈥檚 "security" concerns and run a 鈥渒haki鈥 election campaign.
Dutton has announced that Australia will provide 鈥渟ecurity training鈥 to Ukraine, not troops. He has also announced new聽, including a 10-year deal with BAE Systems Australia to provide fast-jet combat training aircraft in Newcastle and Perth. BAE will upgrade its Hawk 127 training aircraft as part of the new $1.5 billion contract.
Dutton has only been Defence Minister for about a year and over that short time he has: overruled the defence establishment on the Brereton Inquiry into 鈥渕ilitary culture鈥; ratcheted up the聽alleged China threat; signed a new 鈥渟ecurity鈥 deal with the US and Britain (AUKUS); seized a loophole in the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and swapped a submarine deal with France for a聽nuclear submarine deal聽with the US; and committed Australia to support the US in a possible hot war between Ukraine and Russia.
Dutton has also committed to spending聽聽each year 鈥 $50 billion 鈥 on weapons. In comparison,聽聽will be allocated to聽support state education services over 2021鈥22, less than most other OECD countries.
While it is easy to mock wannabe General Dutton, it would downplay the seriousness of what is at stake. Ukraine has four nuclear power plants and 15 reactors: a war could unleash short- and long-term destruction on large parts of the world.
If war does not start in Ukraine, Dutton may try to use聽聽in the Arafura Sea when, on February 17, a Chinese warship in international waters allegedly shone a laser at an RAAF surveillance plane.
The PM has condemned China for an 鈥渁ct of intimidation鈥, saying it was unprovoked. Australia conducts聽聽in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean and regularly conducts naval presence patrols, exercises and port calls throughout the region. Under new security arrangements with the US, Australia has been conducting more of these 鈥渇reedom of navigation鈥 operations just off China鈥檚 coastline.
The objective of the warmongers is clear. After 20 years of war in Afghanistan, they may struggle to convince a war-weary population to join another one. But in an age in which science and facts are contested and when both major political parties are singing from the same song sheet, a khaki election campaign could swing it for the Coalition.
If you, like聽91自拍论坛, are horrified at all of the above and believe聽war in Ukraine is not inevitable聽and a war with China would be madness,聽consider becoming a supporter聽and throw in whatever聽donation you can聽to help us reach our $200,000 Fighting Fund target.