{"id":29142,"date":"2023-03-24T10:35:47","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T02:35:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dingo.news\/voice\/?p=29142"},"modified":"2024-07-30T00:48:43","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T16:48:43","slug":"labor-enabled-aukus-mick-lawless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dingo.news\/voice\/labor-enabled-aukus-mick-lawless\/","title":{"rendered":"Labor Enabled AUKUS – Mick Lawless"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nA Public Service Message for those Labor supporters still unaware that Labor enabled AUKUS<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/span>Labor’s supporters are having a hard time of it justifying AUKUS. They knew it was a Morrison initiative and therefore toxic. Yet Labor snapped it up like a famished stray dog. So they decided it must be a brilliant pre-election ploy that would all come to nothing. Obviously, they were wrong.
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Let’s debunk the ‘it’s all Morrison’s fault’<\/em> and ‘Labor were wedged’ <\/em>apologism we’ve been hearing from the Labor die-hards about the AUKUS equation right now. <\/span><\/p>\n

“In his most wide-ranging interview on foreign affairs and national security, Albanese, fresh from a fortnight\u2019s scolding from the government for allegedly being soft on China, explains to Inquirer: \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s much understood that a precondition of American support was that there be bipartisan support for it in Australia. Without Labor\u2019s support, it wouldn\u2019t have happened.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the past the idea of nuclear-powered submarines was widely discussed in Liberal and Nationals circles. But one obstacle always was the idea that Labor would oppose it. Modern strategic threats, and Albanese\u2019s leadership of Labor, changed that.<\/span><\/p>\n

To effect that historic change, Albanese moved fast but followed proper Labor Party process: \u201cWe were briefed on the Wednesday by the (security) agencies and the Defence Department. As an example of our good faith on national security issues, I didn\u2019t speak to any journalist about it but the Prime Minister\u2019s office briefed out the fact of our meeting.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Present at that critical first briefing were Albanese, his deputy Richard Marles, opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong and defence shadow Brendan O\u2019Connor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was convinced by our capacity needs, that these could be filled by nuclear propulsion rather than by conventional subs. I was convinced it was necessary. It was the right call based on our changing strategic needs,\u201d<\/em> Albanese says.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a number of preconditions: that it not breach the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and that it not lead to a domestic nuclear industry. We came to a preliminary view quickly and called a shadow cabinet meeting for very early the next morning. Then we called a full caucus meeting <\/span><\/em>(this is disputed by Aaron Patrick<\/span>\u00b9)<\/span> and by 11.30 we had gone through our processes.”<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

On a range of issues including the South China Sea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and the treatment of the Uighur minority, Albanese says Labor would implement exactly the same policies as the Morrison government today. <\/span><\/span>– <\/span><\/em>The Albanese doctrine: \u2018Don\u2019t play politics with security\u2019<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span> – <\/span><\/em>Greg Sheridan – The Australian<\/span><\/span>
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The hard core of Labor supporters is left in the unenviable position of either continuing to falsely blame the LNP (tacitly admitting AUKUS is a disaster) or supporting AUKUS – cos Labor. Thankfully, a growing number of grassroots Labor members, the public…<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\nngg_shortcode_0_placeholder\n

…and at least one Labor MP (Josh Wilson, the MP for Fremantle) are saying WTF!<\/span><\/p>\n

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