Push population to 50 million to stave off China, says Kevin Rudd

Kevin Rudd says the nation must double its population to ensure it can independently defend itself against Chinese threats.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd in Canberra. Picture: AAP

Kevin Rudd says the nation must double its population to ensure it can independently defend itself against Chinese threats, in the event that “Trumpist isolationism” becomes entrenched and Australia can no longer rely on help from the US.

The former prime minister said a “big and bold” immigration program was needed to ensure Australia could “stand on our own two feet”. “Australia must plan for a big Australia — a big and sustainable Australia — of a type I advocated while I was still in office,” Mr Rudd said while launching an essay on Australia’s “China challenge” by journalist Peter Hartcher on Tuesday.

“Only a country, in my judgment, of a population of 50 million later this century will begin to have the capacity to fund independently the defence and intelligence assets necessary to defend our territorial integrity and maintain our political sovereignty for the long term.”

He said the plan was not politically popular, but was “just an uncomfortable truth”.

Amid rising security concerns over university partnerships with Chinese institutions, Mr Rudd also called for ASIO to play a greater role in monitoring what happened on campuses. He said the role of security agencies should be “embedded in that process”, and more “resources should be dedicated to institutions like ASIO to provide the scrutiny”.

He said China kept a close eye on its universities, “so we should make no apology for having exactly the same set of arrangements”.

Mr Rudd lashed his Liberal successors Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull, accusing them of driving the China relationship into its “current fetid state”.

He said Mr Abbott had sought to “ingratiate himself with China’s leadership”, agreeing to a request to become a comprehensive strategic partner, while Beijing “couldn’t believe their luck” when Mr Turnbull allowed the Port of Darwin to be leased to a Chinese company.

Mr Rudd talked up what he claimed as his own legacy of “strength” in engaging with China, including his government’s rejection of a Chinese takeover of Rio Tinto and its banning of Huawei hardware from the NBN.