#1/ I don't like or agree with trade deals that lock us into a dependency box!

#2/ ordering submarines that are already obsolete before they get here and just as we attempt to go carbon neutral is daft! To put it kindly!

We need to beef up self-reliance and our ability to manufacture more of what we need in our self-reliant self-defence!

Moreover, if anyone believes we can go carbon neutral without nuclear power, they're either dreaming or have put shallow self-interest ahead of the national interest! If the latter, little better then Benedict Arnold, in my view.

We need to buy off the shelf nuclear-armed nuclear-powered subs as part of a robust self-reliant self-defence! And some long-range diesel weasels plus 120 MM mortars!

The latter two able to be airlifted by chinook to the most remote regions and able to defend that with that and some air capacity/smart bombs.

This combination would likely allow us to use the known terrain/bush tucker to our advantage and make any intending attacker pay too high a price, far more in lives and treasure than what they might gain!

I commend the decision to arm ourselves with shore-based missiles and new high tech sub detection facilities!

We also need to crack on with domestic high tech manufacture and defence capability manufacture/service! If that then creates a couple of 100,000 new jobs and a million more in-service related industries? That will be no bad thing!

Lastly, we need to be an ally with some real teeth, if we expect reciprocity?
Alan B.

“Anyone who says there was no fraud this election is pushing a line. There is fraud every year in the USA (and probably in Australia as well too). The question is: Are the incidences of fraud provable, and widespread enough, that they could be shown to have potentially affected the outcome of the election?”

Given that the Democrats, aided and abetted by corrupt MSM reporting and Twitter censorship, went all out to oust Trump during his first term, it is utterly naïve to believe there was no fraud. Besides, many years have passed since the Democrats could be considered democratic.

I think Australia is in a vulnerable isolated position inside Asia.

All the song and dance routines directed towards Asia pretending we care for any integration with them, is seen by them for what it’s worth, and that is mealy-mouthing and sloganeering.

Australia doesn’t give a toss about Asia, and sees itself as superior. That position is historical.

So where we really stand with the US as a useful ally, should be seen in a similar context to the isolated US ally of Israel.
If we are not useful to the US in a meaningful way, then the alliance will be weak.

Since Biden is obviously compromised with China and Russia, ( of lesser importance, but still significant), then the going will be tough.

However, compromising ourselves with trade agreements which will be a one sided affair, is weak. All the messages I see coming from Canberra, are a suck-along to China, especially the inclusion of China in these trade deals.

Added to dodgy trade deals, is upping the anti on Chinese immigration from Hong Kong; it’s a move which fools nobody on either side; again obviously, it’s design purpose here is to prop up real estate prices with Chinese spare change.

Including cashed-up Chinese into positions of influence in Australia as high immigration from China does, belies an inability to see a political reality.

Dan

diver dan,

You are wrong.

We have just come through 40 years of an Asianization process during what I have called the Great Asianization Period (1980-2020) in Australian history and to cap it all off the Commonwealth formally agreed this week to incorporate Australia into the Asian Regional and Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

And Soot is right at this moment having an old fashioned Asian one-on-one with the Japanese PM in Tokyo. It'll be a great Australianese-Japanese talk-fest.

You're a full blood Asian now Dan so you better just get used to it.

It’s the true meaning of fallacy, believing the entire population are on-board with the arrogance of it.

Obviously the “Yes-men” meeting with Japanese PM Naikaku-sōri-daijin, are oblivious to Japanese cultural predisposition to disliking the world and anything in it that is not Japanese. No multicultural leanings there. Shame we didn’t follow the Japanese example here in Australia.

The wonder is, Asians are not falling over themselves imitating the worlds most successful multicultural society=Australia. How annoying @nd insulting that must be to the “Yes-men”.

Dan

Biden said he would cancel fracking and support fracking but it will
not matter what Biden says, he will have no say in it at all.
The tight oil & gas companies are having trouble with their financiers
due to their poor profitability.
Can it be a co-incidence that Royal Dutch Shell and BP both announced
within a matter of months that they are studying how to leave the oil
industry and a year or two later the major motor manufacturers start
talking about electric cars. Some no longer to make internal combustion cars ?
Now another couple of years later cities and countries are making
noises about banning petrol and diesel vehicles.

Do you think maybe it is all orchestrated ?
Do the oil companies see the ERoEI telling them what they have to do ?
I suspect it has nothing to do with global warming but the long warned
about the of rising cost of getting crude oil out of the ground.