Beijing’s message rings alarm bell about dreamworld election
Australia needs to urgently invest more in naval capability. But this defence imperative clashes with fiscal challenges neither side of federal politics wants to seriously engage with.
Some predict a Seinfeld election campaign, as in about nothing much. But it’s shaping more as a dreamworld election where politicians and voters pretend they are living in a different universe from the one Australia will actually inhabit.
Alarm bells should be ringing in Canberra after Chinese warships conducted live-fire drills with little or no warning off the coast of Sydney, forcing nearly 50 Qantas, Virgin and other commercial airline flights to change course away from danger.
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Michael Stutchbury is editor-at-large. He is in his fourth decade of writing for and editing national newspapers. After nearly six years as editor of The Australian, he returned to the Financial Review as editor-in-chief (2011-2024). Email Michael at mstutchbury@afr.com
