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Morrison creating tensions with Asia and New Zealand

By Darrell Egan

Fresh from Scott Morrison’s announcement to go to Washington later this year after Australian Foreign Ministers Asia and Washington visit, he introduces nuclear submarines to Australia as part of AUKUS pact between Australia, Britain and the US to take a assertive military approach to China in the South China Sea.

It is likely this AUKUS (or ORCUS) nuclear submarine deal will see these pod of AUKUS nuclear submarines sent to the South China Sea, creating more heightened tensions between Australia and China from an already rapidly deteriorating relationship.

In a hawkish pivot to Asia with the AUKUS pact, US military aircraft and weapons are looking to be stored in Australia seemingly to support sending forces into the South China Sea.

In a further development the US has pulled out Patriot missiles which appears to be in line with a pivot to Asia military redeployment build up.

From China’s point of view they are surrounded by US military bases in South Korea and Japan, with weapons pointed at them including heavy M1 Howitzer guns with a 23 kilometre range which can hit their city of Xiamen.

 

Fleet of AUKUS Nuclear Submarines likely for use in South China Sea

 

The United States has the view they believe China cannot have primacy in the South China, sea citing freedom of navigation.

However the United States have not ratified on to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1994 freedom of navigation.

In a sign China which appears to have lessened a primacy in the South China Sea, legalities are being finalised this year on a gas joint venture between the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) and the China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC).

New Zealand who is not a member of AUKUS and the Quadrilateral Dialogue Group and seems to be taking a more independent stance as a member of ANZUS Australia New Zealand United States cooperation treaty.

Whilst New Zealand has a Pacific partnership with Australia, this nuclear submarine deal has created tension in the relationship with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who has announced that Australian Nuclear submarines are not welcome in New Zealand.

In a statement reported in yesterday stated Nanaia Mahuta was uncomfortable with expanding the role of the Five Eyes intelligence reach in provoking tensions in the Asia Pacific region with China.

It appears New Zealand’s principals are being put to the test with this development.

In contact with New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s media adviser with some informal discussions on the issue, there has yet to be a any further response from their office, into further formal statements.

In a statement sent to me by the office of the leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP, he conveyed:

“This move by Scott Morrison will make Australia and the region less safe with inciting a risk of conflict.”

Mirroring Adam Bandt’s comments condemning this move by Scott Morrison, ex Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating said this move trades away Australia’s Sovereignty and makes Australia’s defence policy solely dependent on the United States.

 

 

Paul Keating added further concern with Australia’s current strategy in relation to China and military escalation in the South china sea if we have a situation is another reckless style Donald Trump leader is elected in the next US elections.

The tensions in Scott Morrison’s move in the public and political realm in the Pacific is evident, in what appears to be very little discussion or debate with Australia’s most important Pacific partner before making his submarine buying deal which will give fresh indigestion to others.

This article was originally published on Dazza Egan Australia & China Watch Journo.

 

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28 comments

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  1. Phil Pryor

    We are now a cheaper, more expendable target than ever, with Pine Gap thrown in. The brainless short sightedness and vacant grey matter of the P M a pernicious misfit, is beyond embarrassing. With a soiled reputation in our services until cleared of serious charges, with a filthy sneak and paid cheat as former A-G, with a cabinet of crooks, riggers, fibbers, liars, shonks, greedy selfites and low mentality would be dealers, this nation is shamefully exposed to worse future outcomes, for NOTHING worth a squeeze of possum poo.The depravity and stupidity of cozying up to a nation that has millions who voted for Trump and beleive in self deceiving superstitious, ego swollen SHIT is horrible.p, and Boris Bonkfist is below a bug’s balls in mentality. Why does this garbage get in? Is it that too many utter boofheads, scaredycats, regressives and assorted crippled souls project their own inferiority forward into a mighty dream of executive control, a self inflating superman concept?? Morrison to the now departing Merkel is as a pile of manure to the Rockies.

  2. George Theodoridis

    Phil Pryor,

    I love every cell of your brain and every syllable of your writing.

    Beware of OZ PMs “visiting” America. They’re not visiting, they are summoned there.

  3. ajogrady

    In a matter of a few weeks, the Morrison L/NP government has massively added to its trust deficit by allowing an unidentified person or persons to pay a huge amount of money for Christian Porters supposed legal bill. Cuting and running leaving those Afghanis who stood side by with our troops and leaving their fate in the hands of the Taliban. Reneged on a contract to build submarines with France jeopardizing trade with our second largest trading partner the EU , angered beyond belief Australia number 1 trading partner and sadistically gave the Biloela family no hope or stability. Add to that the non existant Climate Crisis policy and the rampant corruption, the Morrison government has trashed Australias once good international reputation.

  4. New England Cocky

    Phil, one does not need a forensic microscope to see how Biden & Boris (B&B) played Scummo for the arrogant, self-satisfied fool that he is. The election strategy of ”the foreign threat” is unlikely to save Scummo because the subs, if they can appear on time in 2036, will be out-of-date technologically and just artificial reefs waiting to happen. And how will Australia defend itself between now 2021 and the n 2036? Somebody has NOT done much thinking.

    However, it is ANOTHER announcement for the video record, of the destruction of Australiam society by an unCHristian self-serving, uncaring, incompetent politicians representing a political party that is no better than the 9nominal0 leader. As has been said before, ”A fish rots from the head down” and in septic tanks ”the turds float to the top”.

  5. pierre wilkinson

    Really, this is all a storm in a teacup.
    If scotty from marketing’s previous form on announcements and his pathetic misgovernment of maladroit misfits have anything to do with this latest brain fart, then it is inevitable that it will not be commenced until the concept has already passed its’ use by date, will cost overblow until it is unaffordable and will be supplanted with yet another announcement when it is proved unfeasible.
    Meanwhile, porter gets off the front pages again and we all look the other way whilst the rorting and corruption continue unabated.

  6. Bryony Fearn

    I would like to know which ministers are invested in portfolios that potentially benefit from this multi-billion dollar investment – even if it is a $#ScottyFromMarketing.

    The guy is as unprincipled as they come. He will leave office having enriched himself and his mates at every opportunity

  7. Mark

    Bryony, here’s a starting point – so go for it. It’s all part of the public record – as any journalist will aver.

    https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Members/Register

    It’s why Porter came clean. You’ll find him under listed under P.. Here’s a relevant citation.

    In March 2021, I commenced defamation proceedings in a purely personal capacity against the ABC and Ms Louise Milligan [NSD 206 of 2021]. On 31 August 2021 this matter was finalised by the Court. Although these matters have been conducted in a personal capacity and all legal services were engaged in a purely personal capacity, out of an abundance of caution and consistent with approaches adopted by other parliamentarians in relation to the provision of reduced fee or pro bono legal services, I advise that, in addition to my own personal funds, the following contributions have recently or may shortly be made:

    • As has been publicly reported, as part of the settlement an amount was paid by the ABC to Company Giles. Now that the matter has been resolved the relevant cheque will be deposited in Company Giles trust account and applied to my account.

    • Part contribution to the payment of my fees by a blind trust known as the Legal Services Trust. As a potential beneficiary I have no access to information about the conduct and funding of the trust.

    • My engagement of Ms Chrysanthou was on a commercial fee arrangement. However, consistent with her practice for individual clients, she did not charge me for all of the time she spent on the matter and in the recent settling of her fees I am aware there has been a reduction in fees which has resulted in me having received some services from Ms Chrysanthou on a reduced fee basis. Although all of the above contributions were made to me, or were for my benefit, in a purely personal capacity, in the interest of transparency and out of an abundance of caution I make this ..

    Usually most MPs make the big dollars after leaving office. Porter just couldn’t wait. So unchristian like.

  8. Vikingduk

    But wait, read the repulsive rupert drivel, this fucking travesty called a government, ably supported by the PR flacks of news corpse, have just done the deal of the century, saved our bacon, so there, China, cop that, the liar from the shire and the dutton thing are our saviours, hallefuckingluyaaaah, safe again, for fucks sake, 2.7 degree global warming target, which would mean we are well fucked, our planet our lives our children’s lives etc. hang in the balance and we allow these rotten fucking deadbeats free reign we pore our scorn and disgust on these fucking things, the things that have no right to be called human, but still it goes on taking us ever deeper into the cesspit.

    Surely someone in this crime syndicate has heard of EMP weapons, you know, the air burst that destroys all things internet, surely you’ve heard of it, the weapon that will allow an invading army to just move on in, no real destruction of buildings or people, just no internet, no nothing that is controlled via the internet. In a word fucked.

    Thanks, scooter, thanks you fucking braindead arseholes that vote for this conglomerate of morally bankrupt rotten to the absolute core traitors, we are now a way station, the bum boys for the yanks, oh what joy as they slowly but surely fuck us rotten, more bombers, more troops, more weapons, aren’t we the lucky ducks, a complete and utter cunning stunt in charge, what are we supposed to do, lay down quietly and think of Britain, the queen, the cadaver in the White House as they fuck us rape us monster us all because of this monstrosity called a government.

  9. Terence Mills

    It is now clear that Morrison and more particularly Dutton have been working on AUKUS for some months and have been playing the French for suckers, all the time pretending that the French contract was on track as planned.

    Evidently the US at one stage told Morrison/Dutton that as a matter of courtesy and diplomatic conventional morality we should give the French the heads-up that we were planning to scrap the deal : we didn’t do that – sounds like typical Dutton.

  10. Harry Lime

    Yeah, but can we still go to macca’s for a feed of the promise of food
    ,is the footy still on,can we go to Bunnings for more shit we don’t need, and can we mortgage ourselves blind to keep up with the halfwits who just got the latest urban assault vehicle? Priorities folks,priorities.
    Hi, Vikingduk, like your style,hope you are keeping well.For what it’s worth, I think the Liar is fucked.

  11. Jack sprat

    Why can’t we just hire some Taliban mercenaries on the cheap rather than buying expensive submarines. Their track record fighting against super powers is exemplary .

  12. GL

    What we appear to have is a gubmint of armchair warriors who have no idea that their banging the war drums could have nasty repercussions outside their bubble universe. All we can do is (and I hold little hope) remove them at the next election.

  13. HENRY RODRIGUES

    This is just part of Scummo’s and the lying party’s re-election campaign strategy, to distract from all the fuck-ups and missteps for the past 8 years especially the corruption, sleaze and immoral basis of their governing. 2036 is long way off, and even if the deal is realised , at an enormous cost, Scummo and Murdoch’s maggots will trumpet it as the best thing that has ever happened to Australia. All the media whores will be salivating at the prospect of getting board to extoll the great ‘coup’ brought about by the slimy bastard. and re-enforcing Asia’s perception of Australia being the best and most valuable bunch of arse lickers the Americans have in this part of the world.

    A lesson to France and others; the Coalition and Murdoch and the media are never to be trusted. Ever…

    Do Dutton and Payne even remotely resemble anything close to the great thinkers and statesmen who guided and enlightened the countries in Europe ??????

  14. Terence Mills

    Sad to say but it seems that the ALP no longer see themselves as the opposition or the alternative government .

    We have a government who are mired in corruption and conspiracies over submarines, wasting billions of taxpayer dollars, : we have a government minister who receives undisclosed amounts of money from anonymous sources essentially to attack the public broadcaster and he is still there while Philip Gaetjens (Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet) looks into the matter – Gaetjens is known variously as ‘mirror’ after he looked into the matter of Brittany Higgins and ‘glacier’ for the speed with which he undertakes these investigations.

    We have a bodged JOBKEEPER scheme that put multi-millions into the pockets of companies who were not entitled to a Covid bailout and we refuse to go after them.

    We have a very stupid and amateur Defence Minister committed to creating a cold war with China and a prime minister who makes no attempt to stop the continuous anti-China sniping that will inevitably lead to the destruction of our bilateral trade arrangements upon which Australia’s future prosperity depends.

    During his recent meeting with Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong Morrison was advised to :

    engage more calmly and directly with China. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Lee described China as “one of the biggest policy questions for every major power in the world” and said that he told Morrison that Australia should focus on areas of mutual interest rather than ideological differences.

    “You don’t have to become like them, neither can you hope to make them become like you,” he said. “You have to be able to work on that basis, that this is a big world in which there are different countries, and work with others who are not completely like-minded but with whom you have many issues, where your interests do align.”

    Very wise counsel which we ignored !

    Labor who we still believe want to be the next government, possibly within the next six months, are silent with a leader who everybody says is a ‘nice bloke’ but who seems to lack the basic ability to grasp the role of an opposition leader ; say what you may about Abbott but he knew how to be an opposition leader – granted, a hopeless prime minister.

    Wake up Labor you have the opportunity of taking the next election but you have to go after it, it won’t come to you !

  15. HENRY RODRIGUES

    Terrance Mills….Agree with everything you say. Just wish Labor and Albo can drum up the courage to tackle the slimy bastards head-on.
    Its do or die time.

  16. BB

    “Wake up Labor you have the opportunity of taking the next election but you have to go after it, it won’t come to you !”

    I trust everyone wakes up then, by putting the ALP FIRST on their ballot paper and putting the L/NP LAST

    Labor needs us all to stand UNITED because if we remain DIVIDED we will fall.

  17. Claire

    Vikingduck, little chance anyone “in this crime syndicate has heard of EMP weapons”, that tech is post 1960s.

  18. wam

    I love it,
    The nuclear technology is already old and the septics and poms have secured a little market for technology that will 80 years old. We have no experience in nuclear so SA cannot be building jmorethan the shell?
    In 5years the septics and the Chinese will have subs that suck in a dollop of sea water make hydrogen and oxygen. These subs will be slide over under and past our built by Americans not Australians subs. Sadly, poor old and #$#$&5*& by this timely announcement and the extremists will repeat scummo’s miracle and enrich themselves again. Charge sheet: 2009 No climate change 2013 no limit on cash 2014-2018 snipping 2019 boobies malignant cash seeking timetable Now the bandit jumping at more cash and a boost to his agenda. ps The sight of right wing idiots fighting right wing police was not without a smile at the irony.
    pps
    Sorry cuckoo waltz how can labor get those issues to the fore? When they can’t get the news upset about Porter et al being sexist. They have to be as nasty as scummo’s mob or as slimy as the bandit and that is not labor’s nature.

  19. Terence Mills

    wam

    Labor can call press conferences or ask to speak to the National Press Club (Barnaby did just this the other day but only engaged in self promotion and the inland rail contract which he claimed full credit for) but they must have something to say !

    They have media advisers so it can’t be that difficult !!!

  20. George Theodoridis

    The NUKULAR era had descended upon us yet again and with both war loving “parties” (inverted commas essential) noisily agree on its importance, you can see why I suggest, fuck them and go for the Greens! Listen to the words of all three and judge for yourself.

    The “Coalition of the Killing” as that buffoon George W. Bush, (and aren’t they all?) put it are now busy like starving bees working their way through the deeds that need to be done before launching on their next crusade against, this time China… in possibly 30 years, or earlier, or later, or… who the fuck knows when buyt certainly when these buffoons and we will be long gone! But our kids of course, won’t be!
    Oz will be trampled ruthlessly by the boots of blood seeking barbarians until then.

    When it comes to substansive issues these primordials make the same grunts!
    War is imminent and war is annihilatory.
    With nuclear in the mix the annihilation is quick and irreversible.
    And, who can doubt any more that these creatures, still trying to breath in the primordial swamp they’re living in, relish the thought of a cataclysm of their own making.

    I don’t know what your nightmares consist of but mine are almost solely of this cataclysm.
    Why not discussion? Why not co operation? Why not accept that war is a constantly pulling act and not a repelling one? Why not accept that no one wins a war?

    The image of the young vietnamese girl with fire burning her back, along with hundreds of other appalling war images disturb me enormously. Don’t they do the same to you?

    I don’t want war!
    I want peace!

    Everything that i saw and read during my whole 76 years reinforce this belief. Everything!
    Let the makers of war, the believers that they are doing god’s work, their delusion that they are the cross-bearing crusaders, bring the true god to the world go build their own coliseum and let them fight each other.

    Leave our children and grand children and the planet go on in peace.
    I am so, so sick of thuggery, of war grunts, of grunts that have become so familiar to us that we’ve become desensitised by tham and, in fact, bought into the romance of slaughtering people in the most gruesome ways.

    Iraq is till reeling by an atmosphere clogged with depleted uranium!
    Enough, you fuckers, enough!

    Just before the Iraq war, a group of intelligent women in America, who call themselves “The Lysistrata Project” have asked their members to either stage Aristopanes’ Lysistrata or do a reading of it, all on the same day and at the same time. There were over a thousand venues where that took place and a great number of them used my own translation. I’ve received many emails of thanks.

    Then I saw the millions marching in the streets of the whole planet and thought that the attack will not happen.
    Millions had marched!
    Millions, as many as, if not more had died because those baboons wouldn’t give a stuff.

    Baboons, like our own Shit-in-the-pants and brain, Johnny Howard.
    Baboons understand the language only of baboons and what we’ve been listening to since WWII has been baboon grunts. These baboons have turned our Parliaments into wild jungles run by them.

    The whole of The Insiders was a glorification of war, war at its most brutal and its most technical. the technology is dazzling for them. They must have it!

  21. Terence Mills

    wam

    One thing Labor could announce is a Royal Commission into housing affordability in Australia when they get into office. That would help counter their capitulation on Negative Gearing and Capital gains concessions on housing.

    We could almost guarantee that a RC would recommend winding back of these generous tax concessions which we know are distorting the housing market – all Labor then has to is say we accept the findings of the RC.

    But, they should be coming up with policy, not me – I’ve got to mow the lawn !

  22. Roswell

    France isn’t too happy with us either. I hear rumours that they’re going to abandon future trade talks with us.

  23. GL

    I nearly choked on my mouthful of tea (green tea with lemon myrtle) when I read what the knuckle dragging cretin mutant hillbilly from “The Hills Have Eyes” Dutton said, “”We have been upfront, open and honest.”” Those three words are anathema to the LNP so I’m surprised his head hasn’t exploded in shock.

    His flagrant bullshit was completely contradicted: “While the federal government had publicly raised concerns about the $90 billion dollar deal, France was kept in the dark about Australia’s discussions with the US and UK that led to a new deal to build nuclear-powered Submarines.”

    And they are scratching their as they wonder why the French are (being polite here) a little miffed

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-19/australia-upfront-open-honest-with-france-submarine-deal/100474260

  24. Terence Mills

    Porter has resigned (or was sacked) and presumably returns to the Back-Bench. Morrison says that as he has resigned, Porter is no longer a minister and thus is not subject to the ministerial code of conduct. So the subject is closed !

    It now clear that it was not a Blind Trust as a blind trust means that it was his money that was the subject of the trust to be dealt with as determined by the trustees, this was money that was gifted to him by undisclosed third parties.

    Porter will still not disclose how much money was gifted to him or by whom – his position became untenable.

    It is unlikely that Porter will stand again in his seat of Pearce WA.

  25. wam

    Hahaha, Terence , we have had curlews nesting for the last 8 months and my darling has chained the mower to prevent disturbing the birds. Long may they breed.
    Most posts here would aid Albo but he is confused by the plethora of items that could excite the autocuists Such an abundance off, ratings level, controversies like attitudes to women can be ignored but get caught up with fingers in the cash trough is sackable?
    Perhaps Albo can move more easily with the monkey out of the way but the morning shows will grab the carping arsehole as the Rupert labor spokesman.
    I think of labor every time the mournful cry of the curlew wakes me up.

  26. Terence Mills

    wam

    We have a pair of curlews active at the moment : by standing still they think they can’t be seen – similar stategy that Porter used !

  27. Sonova Gunn

    What are the odds on the Blind Trust being a corpulent Queenslander? Evens?

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