Armchair Critic said- "Why can't the Queen just grant us freedom from the Union Jack,...
we could be neutral on our own continent without these global influences and obligations?"

Answer- Don't agree with getting rid of the Queen or Royalty though. Probably we do need to be much more independent of other externalities and global influences.

Good points Alan.
The upshot is that the smaller the country the more important it is to
have nuclear weapons.
As Ukraine has had demonstrated, no weapons no protection.
Any reason to think Putin will stop at previous iron curtain countries ?
Nato membership will be no protection. Norway is close at hand.
The same argument from Putin, attack Russian forces the nukes are ready.
Why would the US use nukes to save Norway ?
Just because Norway signed a piece of paper ?

Bazz said- "The upshot is that the smaller the country the more important it is to have nuclear weapons."

Answer- Sounds right for Australia. Kudos Bazz.

<< The question is what lesson the United States and its allies should learn from it and what measures they must now undertake to prevent Putin or any future ruthless Russian autocrat from ever daring to invade another country. >>

Perhaps the US could begin by examining its own track record first. Why did it invade and/or bomb Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria? The US is in no position to lecture others against doing what it has itself been doing for decades.

<< Although the Biden administration knew for several months, based on solid intelligence, that Putin was planning to invade Ukraine and shared that information with our allies, they did not provide the Ukrainian army with defensive and offensive weapons ahead of time. >>

The US has been arming Ukraine continually since the coup it instigated there in 2014. Well before its recent shipments of weaponry, it had already gifted Ukraine with several billion dollars worth of military hardware. US military officers have also been advising Ukrainian neo-Nazi militia throughout that time.

<< The Biden administration must now carefully recalibrate its China policy. Notwithstanding their deep conflicting issues, it is time to mend relations with China. >>

Yes it is time. A good start would be for the US to cease interfering in Taiwan. It must end its arming of the island and its talking-up of war with China. The reunification of Taiwan and China has nothing to do with America. If we are to have any chance of peace, the US needs to butt out and stop using Taiwan to goad China into taking military action.

The world energy situation is becoming critical.
The major oil companies have lost interest in the oil industry.
They know that there is no long term life in the industry and their
attitude has been noted by the car manufacturers.
All the huff & puff about Russian oil & gas will only be relevant till
the current panic is over.
Australia has a couple of weeks supply in each area. Two oil tankers
a day have to arrive in Sydney to keep us on the road.
One submarine could paralyse most of NSW in a week.
We are to all extent not in any war games.
An army, navy & air force without fuel is down to footsloggers.
China if it wanted to claim Australia because a Middle Kingdom Admiral
claimed it we would be in a similar situation to Ukraine.
In any case there is no need for Australia to have been claimed, it
is automatically a vassal state just by being here.
China has bypassed any arguments about vassal states by the use of
The Belt and Roads program by waving money under the noses of needy
governments.

It will take genius politicians to negotiate our path through this mess.