Marco

@RobbieBarwick @SkyNewsAust Who else has "journos" actually trying to bait him to criticise their own country? I have said for years we have the worst media in the Western world as is proven time and again.

Australian @SkyNewsAust journalist Jonathan Kearsley is such a wanker: "Please daddy Trump, beat us harder - tell us again we didn't please you." GTFO! Why are the Australian people so poorly represented by our media and politicians?

@allsaintdharma @BarrettYouTube I had same experience in the 90s. its baked into our weird national psyche.

@BarrettYouTube One cannot understand Australia, I recall in the 80s while studying a political science subject, the most ridiculous things that was discussed constantly was the concerns of Indonesian invading northern territory

Australia just announced a $53 BILLION military spending surge… and guess who they’re pointing at? China. Why on earth would China attack Australia? China is one of Australia’s largest trading partners. We’re talking about hundreds of billions in trade, resources, energy, agriculture, all flowing both ways. It makes absolutely ZERO strategic sense for China to disrupt that. You don’t attack a country you rely on economically. That’s not how geopolitics works in 2026. This looks a lot less like “defense” and a lot more like pressure from the United States. Washington has been pushing its allies for years to ramp up military spending, fall in line with NATO-style targets, and plug into blocs like AUKUS. And surprise, surprise Australia suddenly “discovers” a massive threat just as it commits tens of billions more to defense. Let’s not forget this also conveniently aligns with buying more US-linked military hardware, deeper integration into US strategy, and further escalation in the Indo-Pacific. Meanwhile, the narrative being pushed is that China is some imminent threat to Australia… despite the fact that the two economies are deeply intertwined and mutually dependent. This isn’t about China attacking Australia. This is about aligning with US geopolitical strategy, justifying massive spending, and selling a threat that doesn’t match reality. And once again It’s the taxpayers footing the bill.

@atrupar Sky News asking the question - thought they loved the US, why create trouble? not just playing usual mindless games are they?🤣🤣

Trump: "I'm not happy with Australia"

@beerboy182 The saddest part of this is the predictability of it.

The downfall of Karl Stefanovic needs to be studied, from being lovable larrikin who showed up drunk on air after the Logies, to now pandering to the conservative right wing, halfwits & conspiracy theorists by giving a platform for some of the worst people in this country

@Garonne1972 @HiddenHistoryYT It was Hermes and Invincible.

@HiddenHistoryYT I don't recall HMS Illustrious being in the actual Falklands War - it relieved HMS Invincible in August 1982.

HMS Invincible and HMS Illustrious (Falklands War 1982)

@EVERALDATLARGE Appreciate the general sentiment, but what SEA alliance is this and how or why would Australia be the leader?

Australia must now make most important decision of my lifetime. We must immediately withdraw from #AUKUS & our other American alliances as they give us image of irresponsible warmongers by remaining allied with #USA. Our future is as leader of South East Asia alliance.

@leckie_cameron @ASPI_org They NEED Taiwan. Otherwise what are the options, fly in and kidnap president Xi?

1. @ASPI_org is in a panic The prospect of 🇹🇼 & 🇨🇳 reaching a mutually acceptable end to the civil war = 🤯 What's fascinating is how the KMT engagement with 🇨🇳 is framed as a negative 🤔 x.com/i/status/20417…

@john_macgowan "Kinetics" with China will mean the end of Australia as a viable economic entity (as we currently know it). We would emerge as an isolated middle income nation - at best. Reckon that would be a big issue in 150 electorates, not 3.

Both the UK and Australia missed an opportunity for really simple realpolitik here which was we should have gone all in to help the US on Venezuela and soon, Ecuador. The unescapable reality is reticence to help in the mid east is purely electoral, it's because it will cost these Labor/Labour governments seats in upcoming elections, that's it. What Trump is probably figuring out, is that if the risk of losing 3 near metro seats for Albo over war in the mid east is having this effect - imagine what kinetics with China will look like. And unlike with Iran, it doesn't matter which political party is in power here for that to be a profound issue. Resolving this, through immigration policy, and through eventually, remigration policies, is beyond an imperative for Australia, it's now a question of our survival as a sovereign country. Because if we go into a larger regional conflict, with this level of electoral paralysis from the government of the day, we will cease to exist. And power will transfer, from our own leaders, to the country of those people causing the paralysis. Fixing that, can't happen over night. And very likely can't begin to happen until the next federal election in 2028. So in the meantime, to keep this alliance intact means finding support we can give that isn't going to cause mass civil unrest in the UK and Australia (and our smaller allies). And that means looking at Trump's conflicts for which there is no related diaspora flexing electoral muscle back home. When was the last time you got an Uber in Sydney driven by a Venezuelan? It's crude, but electoral maths often is.

@Mark_Graph Agree.

Albo's speech wasn't policy, nor was it candid – it was preconditioning. An anchor he can point back to when the Asian mega-refinery pipeline runs dry: "Remember, I told you things could get worse." The government appears to know – or strongly suspects – what's coming. Two questions on two consecutive days went unanswered in Parliament this week. 31 March: Penfold asked Bowen how many oil tankers had left the Middle East for Asian refineries since 28 February. Bowen answered with ships currently heading to Australia. The upstream question: unanswered. 1 April: Hastie asked Albanese whether the government had received advice of fuel ships to Australia being delayed or cancelled. Albanese answered about his Gallipoli trip. Australia's reserves are holding – for now. But if the upstream pipeline is emptying, the ships currently en route may be the last of a full flow. When supply tightens, Albo will point to his speech. The anchor is already set.

@taipan168 And during a supply crisis is any decision that will artificially support demand sensible?

This is stupid policy, caving to the RWNJ media and the Coalition when there was no need to do so. More targeted relief for commercial users would have been smarter. The RBA will take the temporary nature of this into account and look through it when setting rates in May.

@taipan168 Had a couple of regular foreigner business visitors note to me (in Perth) some years back that West Australians were unlike other Australians. They thought they were notably arrogant. Hate to say, but once I heard this I couldn't help but notice there was something to it...

Almost four times bigger than Texas Most isolated capital city in the world The expression "over East" A bloody long way from anywhere else Iron ore Gold LNG Gina Rinehart Alan Bond State Daddy McGowan and closed borders during COVID Thieves of NSW and Victoria's GST

@Dr_M_Davis Bottom line: if Australia is a belligerent in a conflict with China the Australian economy will be destroyed and life in Australia will be changed for a generation.

Australia is facing a very serious and likely long lasting fuel crisis as a result of #Iran closing the Straits of Hormuz. Now consider the scenario of a future war in the Indo Pacific region, perhaps as a result of a #Taiwan straits crisis, where #China deliberately targets our oil and natural gas supply through the archipelago to our north, specifically to coerce Australia into not supporting the United States or it’s allies in defending the liberal democracy of #Taiwan. This scenario could also see direct attacks on our ports and other infrastructure in the north of Australia to starve us of essential fuel supplies. Rather than a distant war, it would see daily attacks directly on Australia itself. Such a scenario is likely if China decides to use military force to impose unification on Taiwan, against the wishes of the Taiwanese people. This could happen within this decade or early in the next. With this future scenario in mind, the key lesson for government emerging from the #IranWar‌ of 2026 is that Australia cannot be resilient so long as it is so dependent on distant energy supplies, and is not able to defend vital maritime trade routes, choke points and narrows through which our essential trade flows. Bottom line: we need greater self sufficiency in energy and fuel by increasing sovereign fuel reserves to the IEA minimum of 90 days and we need to build additional onshore refineries. We need to harden our critical infrastructure associated with energy and fuel. And we need to have a means to defend this infrastructure including with investment into Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) systems for the north. Oh, and we need a larger and more powerful ADF than is currently planned and budgeted for by government in the 2024 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program. We need to be able to project greater power and sustain larger forward presence, rather than waiting for the adversary to gain the initiative in a crisis, as we sit behind our northern approaches in the ‘Sea-Air Gap’. The ‘strategic moat’ is no longer a barrier to attack. That demands government significantly increase defence spending to a floor of 3.5% and 1.5% for national security and do so NOW - not in ten years time.

@bowtiedstocks Agree we need to tax wealth more than income (or the place is stuffed) However, over many years - working here and abroad - I'm not so sure about the "best and brightest" trope. My observation it is grifters who are the most likely to leave.

In my opinion Australia doesn’t reward hard working intelligent and educated people enough Stop go union operatives pulling in more than qualified medical or engineering professionals Tax the high earners to death so we can pay people to walk dogs for $90 an hour as NDIS carer dog walkers I can see why we suffer a ‘brain drain’ where our best and brightest leave for greener pastures where their skills are better valued by the marketplace And those that stay just wanna play leveraged propadee roulette, because let’s face it we’re not that bright Not a serious country

@taipan168 That's a beauty. Very "clean and straight" as they used to say.

These Toyota Corollas, made between 1983 and 1987, used to be everywhere in Australia back in the day, but it's rare to see one in such good original condition today! A real survivor.

@matt_barrie At least a third to maybe half of the population are duel citizens (or would be eligible). Could see a large number heading for the nearest airport if this was ever seriously suggested.

"Under Part IV of the Defence Act 1903, all 18 to 60-year-old persons who have resided in Australia for at least 6 months can be called upon to serve in the Defence Force in time of conflict." Residency only? Start in bands: 6-12 months, 12-24 months.. news.com.au/national/polit…

@MikeCarlton01 Agree, that is an honour and a privilege, Mike.

Spent two days at sea in the destroyer HMAS BRISBANE, for the Navy’s 125th anniversary fleet review. It was an honour, a privilege and a pleasure to be welcomed in such a magnificent ship with a magnificent crew of fine young Australians.

@fabiodeuxbeer "put on ice to ease outrage from people who don’t even live in the city" The ranting from suburban types about "dog boxes". They seem personally offended that apartments even exist. You don't have to live in one, it's your choice!

Living in the anglosphere is an endless cycle of > cool idea for a city that is common everywhere else in the world > concepted and planned > put on ice to ease outrage from people who don’t even live in the city > spend money on roads > repeat

@AngelicaOung As an Australian I think you are bang on it @AngelicaOung

Oh Canada 😢 What do all the Big Dippers have in common? Canada, UK, Australia to a lesser extent… I would say they are Anglophone countries with extremely unhealthy housing markets. When Real Estate driven growth squeeze out other kinds of growth, bad things happen. Unhealthy immigration a secondary factor

@matt_barrie Number #2 globally on house prices and petrol. We can do this!

we can be #1

@leckie_cameron I agree, the hide of them. No one has done more to degrade genuine strategic discourse.

3. rocking the boat Yet now, with the unfolding damage to our economy, likely to be of Great Depression magnitude, Coyne & ASPI have the hide to offer a way forward to develop 'Strategic fitness' To little to late Johny boy The damage has been done

1. @johncoyne14 via @ASPI_org displaying no shame Black Swan & all 🤦‍♂️ ASPI has been at the core of degrading strategic analysis in 🇦🇺 The ideological commitment to the 🇺🇸 empire, the MIC, & hatred of 🇨🇳 over many years is now reaping what it sowed aspistrategist.org.au/keeping-austra…