Labor clueless on foreign affairs

Goodness knows why the Chinese government would want to put pressure on the Albanese government during an election campaign, but that’s what they are doing.

Research vessel Tan Suo Yi Hao, having completed some joint research with New Zealand (why?) has decided to go home and take the scenic route around the bottom of Australia.

One of the attractions they are taking in is Australia’s subsea internet cable network connecting the east and south of the continent to the Middle East and Europe.

The ship has 11 laboratories, but also underwater drones capable of descending 10,000 metres, and while it does legitimate research, it is also understood to collect intelligence.

Our modern world has few redundancies, and our supply lines are brittle. Cut the cables that link our internet to the world and maybe your credit card won’t work…and worse.

Sun Tzu’s Art of War advises how to win, hopefully without ever having to fight. Our fragile society gives opponents just that opportunity. Cripple the power grid, communication systems, navigation systems, water, sewerage and commerce and we would all start to starve within a very short time.

So this is a seriously menacing activity which should have the Australian public, as well as both Australian political parties, up in arms. It should be poison to the party that is seen as weak on China, and that should favour Dutton.

But why would the Chinese seek to weaken Albo? Wouldn’t they prefer to deal with the “handsome boy” rather than “thug” Dutton?

Or is this more disruptive Wolf Warrior “diplomacy” designed to terrify rather than charm, where being a friend can be a highly uncomfortable thing?

Perhaps it is to tempt Dutton into criticizing them.

In 2022 Morrison’s more belligerent tone towards the CCP was said to be responsible for the loss of Bennelong, which has a 21% Chinese population.

6 marginal or winnable seats this election – Aston, Menzies, Reid, Bennelong, Moreton and Chisholm – all have Chinese populations above 10%. A Dutton misstep could leave them all in Labor’s column.