An interesting article by Laura Tingle and an informed one but let’s extrapolate this out, what should it mean for us? And where does Gov. take us next?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-18/australia-nuclear-submarine-deal-aukus-change-relationship-world/100471990
Quoting Laura Tingle’s article:
”But this week's moves — which do not just include the announcement that we may build some submarines with American and British technology but, on Friday, news of more US troops rotated here, along with US missiles, US airforce planes and visits by US nuclear submarines — fundamentally change our relationship with the world in several different ways.
Shibboleths have been demolished
Obviously the first is to align us firmly with the US and make us unambiguously its forward base in the region. ”
Excitement of the deal aside, I am still thinking this was right to do, but as per the article the SPAMS and ScoMo went at it like a bunch of diplomatic amateurs. But all good, we got rid of a dinosaur for $400m - Lesson learnt number 1: When it comes to procurement in defence buy what works. Don’t let consultant “I’ve never been to war ever” idiots in to reap consultation fees for a wrecking ball solution.
So the Shibboleth of nuclear on Aus soil is now open for dialogue and growth. Defence is covered in the interim, see Laura’s quote above, and so we move on. The decision is made:
Lesson learnt number 2 (one suspects): Did we just do this without thinking?
And this is the extrapolation bit:
Or did we do this in cognisance of our future industrial planning and what this could mean with our relationship with China (our biggest customer) in the short, medium and long terms. Defensively and through trade?
That is; did we actually plan like the Chinese do?
Becuase this shibboleth we have now conquered could lead us down a very rosy path @pintohoo posted a veritable list of things we can now do on announcement day. I have a few of my own.
It also means in anticipation of our future defence, we need to look at more than one naval base for Submarines and power thereof.
But if you were Government wouldn’t you also look at the following:
1) Opportunities with our in ground minerals such as lack of Chinese future interest in Iron Ore?
2) What to do with all that yummy Uranium we have in SA? Sell it to China? Ooh not wise. So who? And now the Shibboleth is gone we can milk it here.
3) Incentivisation of the power industry to look at nuclear options (The Shibboleth of nuclear is gone - remember)
4) Options, on a perceived attack, financially, by China to hurt us long term, to shore up and invest in items such as green steel from project iron boomerang to Andrew Forrest’s plans for hydrogen led steel production
The list goes on. Now we are in a new era of ‘what happens now?’ Let’s see what the announcements are for industry and defence and….well everything else we are neglecting as of NOW.
SURELY, Government had plans, post announcement, as the effect of such was to piss an awful lot of countries off; and not all enemies.
