Australia’s policy failure is not that we failed to disrupt a Chinese covert operation. It’s much broader than that. For decades, we have overestimated our influence in the Pacific, underinvested in promoting our security and failed to appreciate China’s strategic intent.
Australia’s defence policy, released in 2020, sets three fundamental goals: to shape Australia’s strategic environment; to deter actions against our interests; and to respond with credible military force, when required.
We have failed in all three aims. We are not shaping the views of our neighbours and we have failed to deter Chinese adventurism in any practical sense. Our ‘credible military force’ is as busy as a defence force could be doing disaster relief and helping with the Covid-19 response, but when it comes to operating in the region, Defence is slow, hesitant, late and limited.
After the election, the Solomons’ lesson should force an immediate and urgent rethink about how to add grunt to the ‘shape, deter, respond’ mantra. The starting point should be to act with focused intensity to shore up our threatened strategic interests in the Pacific. We need to stop wringing our hands about China’s money politics in the region and accept that the leadership we claim will cost money.
This week Morrison announced that an extra two patrol boats will be built for the navy. Defence Minister Peter Dutton should go to Honiara and offer to base them there in a shared Australia–Solomons facility.
I actually suggested something similar ( I said every pacific nation) a couple of weeks ago, its seems some people plagiarised others thoughts.
Raider
