Erin Molan: Albo’s China dodge an insult to our defence personnel

Watching the Australian government handle China’s latest potentially lethal and completely unprovoked attack on our troops, it’s no wonder the ADF cannot recruit personnel, writes Erin Molan.

Imagine … you are thinking about a career in the Australian military. You care deeply about this country and have a sense of service that extends beyond self. You are smart, fit, and your teachers, trainers and peers have often noted that you have great leadership skills.

You’ve seen the headlines about a lack of ADF personnel and the current struggle with recruitment, and the opportunity to be part of a solution to a serious problem excites you.

You’re a little bit unsure though … you’ve also seen the headlines surrounding the royal commission into veteran suicide.

You’ve read about breathtakingly impressive special forces officers who say they’ve been thrown under a bus, but you have seen no sign of a defence hierarchy eagerly defending them, nor, for that matter, publicly backing the vast, vast majority of incredibly good men and women who have donned our uniform and risked their lives in combat.

But … still imagine … you aren’t completely put off yet – well, chances most definitely are that was until this week.

The final nail in the coffin of this military dream?

Watching the Australian government handle China’s latest potentially lethal and completely unprovoked attack on our troops which occurred in international waters this week.

Anthony Albanese meets with China’s President Xi Jinping. Picture: Twitter

‘‘Unprofessional,’’ our Prime Minister says … what? Unprofessional is wearing thongs to the office! ‘‘Unprofessional’’ is behaviour or a course of action which fails to meet standards of excellence that pertain to a corporate or academic field, an industry or service.

‘‘Unprofessional’’ is not a word that is found often in the chronicles of world conflicts and global skirmishes. These flares that were dropped into the path of our Seahawk helicopter were much, much more than that.

Evasive action was required to dodge the flames; without it presumably the crew could have been killed. And not even a phone call to Xi?

Our men and women sign up to serve this nation, and are willing to give their lives in the process.

It would be reasonable to expect that most assume that might occur when they are training for or sent to war — not when they are conducting peacetime missions and a bully swoops in.

A Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk helicopter like the one pictured was forced to make evasive moves to avoid flares fired by a Chinese fighter jet. Picture: Brad Fleet

The Chinese Communist Party does not respect or fear Australia.

Albanese can be super nice about it and diplomatic if he wants … but please, we implore you, for the sake of our troops, our strategic security and our national pride, make the call!

This, of course, follows last year’s episode when a Chinese destroyer injured an Australian navy diver.

The incident was buried, purportedly, to protect and preserve a great photo opportunity of Albanese with Jinping at the Pacific Rim summit occurring a couple of days later. It ensured that the day before news broke we were informed how wonderful relations were with China, and that Premier, Li Qiang, had been invited to visit.

You couldn’t make this stuff up.

Imagine the thoughts of airmen and women, soldiers and sailors watching this all play out. They are risking their lives daily but their own Prime Minister won’t pick up the phone and censure a completely unacceptable and unforgivable attack.

You fight for your nation in the hope those you serve have your back. How’s that looking right now?

I thought the current government narrative was decisively encouraging Australians to join the defence force, not potently showing them exactly why they shouldn’t.

Of course no one expects our government to declare war on China, and we all shudder when we recall what happened when the Morrison government stood up for our values during the Covid outbreak. Chinese government officials are bullies who might well punish us again economically, or worse, but what is the life of an Australian worth?

We cannot cower in fear. We are sitting ducks if we don’t at least create a perception of toughness — for viable and effective diplomacy the image a sovereign state projects needs to be one of integrity and strength.

Imagine the meetings around the tables of the Chinese Communist Party this week, imagine the laughs, the scoffs, the mocking.

Prime Minister Albanese and minister Marles, a healthy, smart relationship with the CCP doesn’t mean allowing them to endanger Australian lives. There are some things in life, and in the world, that are worth, at the very least, an uncomfortable conversation — and this most assuredly is one of them.

Join Erin Molan on Friday at 5pm for ‘‘Erin’’ on Sky News Australia. Former Home Affairs boss Mike Pezzullo will be special guest.

Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email [e-mail]