‘Will Victoria rise from its slumber or follow Andrews’ path of economic bondage to China?’
Welcome to the column where you provide the content. Henry Ergas pointed out that while China’s escalating trade war against Australia seems distressingly contemporary, it’s straight out of the Nazis’ playbook leading up to WWII. What did The Fox say:
“I wonder if constituents living in Victoria will rise from their slumber or vote the Andrews Labor-Greens Party back into power at next state elections. Every person eligible to vote in Victoria would do well to consider the contents of Henry’s article or risk following this path of economic bondage to Communist China.”
David declared:
“ ‘ … the moral cesspit of collaboration.’ Are you listening, Daniel Andrews? Have a good look at young Leak’s cartoon!”
Alison was aghast:
“Thank you Mr Ergas, I love your well-researched articles that always use the lens of history to illuminate the present. Anyone who still thinks the Chinese Communist Party means no harm is deluding themselves. The Victorian Government has done our state a grave disservice in pursuit of political gain. We, and the Chinese people, deserve better.”
Likes from Lindsay:
“This should be required reading across the breadth and depth of this wide brown land. Pollies particularly however this history lesson is seriously non-partisan in its chilling warnings for Australians today. For the love of God of any or no faith, wake up Australia and act.”
Newsworthy, said Novocastrian:
“ ‘Endorsed by Hitler himself in 1937, and spearheaded by Martin Bormann, the powerful head of the Nazi Party chancellery, institutions such as the German Cultural Institute and the Southeast-Europe Society distributed generous grants to cash-starved universities, research centres and journalists in exchange for their willingness to take a ‘balanced, realistic and responsible’ attitude to the Nazi regime’.
“Ergas uses HISTORY to inform healthy debate of our current trading issues but commentators with no historical background pontifical about not upsetting the Chinese and with no understanding of the Chinese culture of using economics for political purposes only!
His analogy with Weimar Germany and Hitlerite Germany are powerful stories and examples for us to consider!”
William warned:
“Those who ignore the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it. And history seems to be missing from the Victorian curriculum.”
Brenda’s bit:
“The parallels are chillingly precise. The pandemic serves as a wake up call for the world. Regrettably the Nazis never gave such a clear warning until it was too late.”
Neil C was concerned:
“Alarmingly insightful. The parallels between current China and pre-WWII Germany in clear as seen in the expressed intent and actions of China.
“Remembering those that never returned home from fighting in WWII each ANZAC day without having any appreciation for why the war occurred and what we need to do to prevent it happening again, relegates the annual remembrance each ANZAC day to mere tokenism.
“Education departments around the world in Western democracies are fully accountable for their active efforts in teaching the ‘fictions’ of non-binary gender (& associated nonsense of the socialist/Marxist left) rather than teaching the ‘facts’ from the events and lessons of WWII and other lessons of history.
“Even a basic appreciation of history would not allow for the romanticism of socialism which is so pervasive today in schools and university campuses. It is the moral equivalent of being ‘asleep at the wheel’.”
Control, said Chris:
“The Chinese strategy is to first encourage supply almost to the point where the supplier relies on that supply, then secondly suddenly withdraw demand so that the supplier goes broke and thirdly buy up the remnants and resume supply under Chinese control. We should also not forget the subliminal strategy of fostering (lauding) satellite interests around the world to the point where they are obliged to vote in China’s favour.”
JoJo was hopeful:
“Nothing like a good crisis to wake up everyone to look at the big picture. May this be a catalyst for a reset for future economic and military alliances based on democratic rules-based nations.”
Rosalind agreed:
“If one good thing has come out of the COVID-19 world we now inhabit, it is that people have suddenly become aware that we are well and truly entangled with an authoritarian power in China. It is time to reset the arrangement.”
Michael mentioned:
“The infiltration of the Confucius Institutes into universities is clearly problematic as well.”
William warned:
“Put this elegant essay together with the present UQ case, the Ridd case and today’s report on academic freedom and what have you got? The economic equivalent happening in Australia right now. Perhaps Henry is too polite to say this more directly in his conclusion but the stark reality is too hard to avoid for any clear-eyed observer.”
Geoffrey said:
“I am surprised that the role of Hjalmar Schacts in developing Nazi-controlled Germany does not appear to have been examined. Although never a member of the Nazi Party and exonerated in the Nuremberg Trials he played a key role in trade policy which made a major contribution to Germany’s ability to finance its re-arming in the 1930s.”
George added:
“With China speeding up entry process for iron ore I was reminded of the trade in pig iron taking place before WWII.”
Comment of the week from Mike:
“This is a most powerful argument for the fact that ignoring history will have us revisit the events and lessons of the past. To now be the target of the CCP’s policies that are no more than barely disguised bullying demonstrates they find tactics used by Germany in the 1930s are as effective today. What has exposed these China’s policies is the reaction to calls from its trading partners to divulge or assist in understanding how and why this pandemic started. It raises suspicions that aside from Chinese loss of face over the origins of this pandemic and other viral outbreaks over the past 20-odd years, the CCP have something to hide.
“For all their remarkable economic growth and their current position in the world, they are demonstrating a lack of mature understanding of how the global community works and their responsibilities as partners in that community. If they don’t get it that their actions are losing them friends, then they are deluding themselves they can stand against the rest of the world and survive without co-operation with those whose trade made them rich in the first place. It would be interesting to have information on the attitudes of the ordinary Chines folk and how they are responding to obvious propaganda by their CCP masters against countries like Australia. But getting that information out of a totalitarian state may be harder than getting information on the origins of COVID-19.
“In the upcoming pandemic inquiry, the CCP’s acquiescence to an inquiry will see attempts by the Chinese to twist the process through ensuring it has its own people in all the right places. We need to maintain a high level of suspicion now of any CCP motive or agreement. They have form.”
Grave, said Geoff:
“One can almost see the slow creep of China as it stretches it hand across the Pacific … cutting off and encircling Australia. Which would make a very fine acquisition … low population, large continent and many resources … nothing would stop a Chinese government from exploiting that.
“Sri Lanka now has a major port in Chinese hands used by its military. They defaulted on paying back what they owed China. Mr. Rajapaksa was voted out of office in 2015, but Sri Lanka’s new government struggled to make payments on the debt he had taken on. Under heavy pressure and after months of negotiations with the Chinese, the government handed over the port and 15,000 acres of land around it for 99 years in December.
“The transfer gave China control of territory just a few hundred miles off the shores of a rival, India, and a strategic foothold along a critical commercial and military waterway.
“The case is one of the most vivid examples of China’s ambitious use of loans and aid to gain influence around the world — and of its willingness to play hardball to collect. And here we’ve signed away Darwin and Dan Andrews has signed up to the Belt and Road initiative. What is wrong with us?”
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Greg Sheridan didn’t pull any punches on the “half-witted delusion” of Dan Andrews and his effective, if not intentional, betrayal of Australia’s national interests in his embrace of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. Praise from Philip:
“Well done, Greg Sheridan! So many are running dead on this story.”
Ken was curious:
“Yep, not a word about it in The Age. This is one of the reasons Andrews is in power of course.”
Spot on, said Jim:
“ ‘Andrews is assisting the dividing of Australia politically by a foreign government with hostile intentions. It’s a disgraceful performance.’ Beyond me to put it better, Greg.”
John proposed:
“Maybe our constitution needs to be revised to make it illegal for the States & Territories to enter into agreements or compacts with other foreign governments without the assent of both houses of our federal parliament.
“It can be done – the federal executive, through the Crown’s representative, the Governor-General, can make the changes.”
Richard pitched in:
“While it’s not illegal, the Commonwealth government has overriding power under s. 51 in respect of foreign affairs. The Commonwealth could legislate to nullify what Victoria is doing, but of course both Victoria and China would be screaming about that.”
ScotInOz suggested:
“We have a constitution which is inconsistent with the realities of the world and Australia as a nation. It needs to be revised very carefully to ensure that Australia can have clear policy — and be seen to have clear policy both nationally and internationally.
“Andrews’ irresponsibility well illustrates the problem but the pandemic has thrown up other problematic issues. For example, we have a situation where state premiers can choose to wreck their economy by closing borders leaving the federal government to fund the resulting unemployed, ignoring federal advice. The national government must have some means of restraining wayward state premiers.
“An argument could also be made for subsuming the state police forces under a single (federal) command structure.”
MSydney said:
“I think the Constitution is serving us pretty well, and that you’ll find One Nation’s challenge to border closures will be upheld if taken to the High Court. Wholesale revision like you suggest is impossible.”
Roy reckoned:
“Andrews and (Tim) Pallas are not only the wrong side of history but also it is almost certain that they are misreading the electorate. This begs two question: What have they promised and why wont they come clean? A favourite saying of one of my colleagues was: ‘The truth always outs’. Let’s wait and see.”
Audrey accused:
“Behaving like communist China. It’s none of your business and how dare you ask!”
Michael Dansplained:
“Unfortunately Mr Infrastructure Dan was running into serious difficulties with his multiple mega traffic-snarling projects even before COVID-19 hit. Even the Westgate tunnel builders, Chinese-owned John Holland are in a force majeure dispute with Transurban, as timelines and budgets blow out. Who else but the Chinese are going to rescue Dan and his hapless Treasrurer Pallas from the black hole facing them now that property taxes are going backwards?”
Barney warned:
“The FIRB is not regarded as a very competent body with some of its decisions highly questionable so we need to be wary of how it handles Chinese investment in Victoria. Additionally, the exclusive use of Chinese firms to build the new tunnel in Victoria would, presumably, not be subject to FIRB if they weren’t seeking to own the asset.”
Bert barked:
“What is it with Labor borrowing money from shady foreign operatives? Andrews is no Whitlam, but this is even more disgusting than Gough’s efforts.”
Anthony asked:
“This is a hugely concerning issue with massive implications for both Victoria and Australia but I cannot see a single mention of it on The ABC television news channel or the ABC News website. Why are they ignoring it?”
Last word to Kate:
“Dan does whatever Dan wants. The arrogance of this man has no limits. His unapologetic and condescending address whenever he publicly speaks to Victorians is terrible. Sadly we don’t seem to have an opposition party that has any cut through.”
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