Mate, you have to be realistic and rather than project and resort to Americanisms like "shills" it is more realistic to be aware of Aus national security and how we project our sphere of influence beyond our borders IE: Indonesia, East Timor, PNG, Venuata , Solomons NZ etc etc.
This week we offered to train our neighbours' police in Brisbane . 2 weeks ago we cut a security deal with Indonesia. 2 years ago we did a policing/police equipment deal with the Solomons (the Chinese did ditto). Add to that the billions we throw annually at these neighbours just to curry political favour and as such bolster our National Security.
So to start with Aus, we can see what successive Governments have done to bolster our National Security and trade (AKA "keep China out") by exercising our regional Sphere of influence
We are a minnow when it comes to this in comparison to the Great Powers, namely the USA, China, Russia etc etc.
This bolstering of National Security in the guise of foreign aid seems to be kosher for us and the US but not for China or Russia but logic in Geopolitics ought to tell one that "if its good for the Goose, then its good for the Gander")
