AUKUS Is A Scam
A LNP Coalition shadow cabinet member was on the ABC’s Q&A program defending AUKUS. He stated that the primary job of those in government was to protect national security. This is not true. Governments have a vast range of domestic duties to perform ahead of the possibility of preparing for a hypothetical military war with an undesignated enemy. Quite apart from the fact that the United States, the country that holds the whip hand in the $368 billion AUKUS deal has become an unreliable ally under Donald Trump. Paying through the nose for the chance to maybe score an old nuclear submarine in 20 years’ time is no guarantee for improved national security in the real world. This is a scam. AUKUS is a scam.
AUKUS A Coalition National Security Scam
“The ABC’s Your Say project suggests there’s deep concern among some Australians over the reliability of our nation’s military alliance with the United States under Donald Trump, and the $368 billion submarine deal known as AUKUS. AUKUS (an acronym standing for Australia, the UK and the US) is a security pact that was signed by the three allies in 2021.”
What about the inequality chasm swallowing the lives of the young and old in Australia at the moment? The Coalition were in power for 10 years and oversaw the growing divide between rich and poor in this country via their economic policies. Huge tax benefits for the wealthy through tax cuts, capital gains tax discounts, negative gearing, and superannuation tax relief for the super-rich. More billionaires created under their watch than ever before in our nation. The concentration of corporate ownership reducing competition in the markets for consumers via mergers and takeovers. The ACCC has been a joke under the guidance of successive federal governments – what competition? Duopolies and oligopolies are everywhere denuding sectors from any real competition. 4 big banks control the finance sector. Same story with insurance giants. Same story with supermarkets but there are just 2. Telco’s, media companies, consultancy firms, and the list goes on. Bugger all competition for consumers, which means price setting by these companies. This is the Australian economy created by Coalition governments over decades and Labor has been largely ineffective in doing anything different to arrest this.
ACCC Scam Investigation Into Coles & Woolies
The ACCC has just completed a review into Woolies and Coles and found that despite being the most profitable supermarkets globally and having massive market share there is nothing to see here. They have increased their profit share during a cost of living crisis, which begs the question – what is going on here? These companies see their fiduciary duty to share holders as above and beyond all other concerns. Even in a period of economic suffering for millions of Australians these supermarkets that control close to 70% of the grocery market saw it as an opportunity to increase profit share rather than assist Aussies doing it tough where possible. This is why right wing folk want business to control everything because it is simpler. Neoliberal privatisation need not concern itself with public suffering because it does not fall within their remit. In reality, if you have that much market share it is your responsibility as to the affordability of food in a recession. If human beings are suffering this is more important than increasing your profitability! What kind of world are we living in?
Economics Is Not The Answer
The answer to this question is one with clearly defined winners and losers. Economics outweighs all other concerns in this world. Do you know how we got all this high inflation over the last few years? It is the result of corporate profiteering. During the pandemic governments came to the financial rescue of many citizens by funding their wages through paying the companies they work for. Lockdowns and the cessation of interstate and international travel meant people spent their money on stuff that could be delivered to their door. The companies involved saw this as a golden opportunity to increase prices and to profit from the surge in demand. Corporations in Australia and globally declared record profits during this period. Supply could not meet demand and prices went up. In a neoliberal world where everything is privatised this is what happens. There is no awareness, as to what the ramifications of this will be in terms of human suffering when folk cannot afford the prices of essentials. This is why we need governments with the power to do something about such situations. The market does not take care of things, it benefits a small coterie of the population at the expense of most of us.
Trump Dismantling Government For Gain
Trump and Musk and their minions are dismantling the US government claiming it is wasteful. What they are really doing is making more people dependent upon their businesses and the private concerns of their mates. Social security is seen as the great cash cow, a once sacred cash cow, now ripe for the slaughter. Millions of people will suffer and it has already started. Once these corrupt and ruthless oligarchs get control of it the pain will really be unleashed. War is coming because when push comes to shove the shit will hit the fan. American capitalism cannibalises and profits from the suffering of its own. Look at their privatised health system, which is one of the most expensive in the world. So much for the efficiencies of the private sector. More folk declare bankruptcy from unpaid medical bills in the US than for any other single reason. Elon Musk, despite being the ‘so-called’ richest man in the world wants to feed on more American need and suffering to profit.
The AUKUS Con & American Unreliability
AUKUS is a scam. This is what they call macro corruption, where the figures involved are so massive ordinary folk don’t question them. The gravy train is so rich for those like ex-PM Scott Morrison to stuff his bank accounts with that we cannot imagine it. The new job in the States with a military complex corporation rewards those who establish the portal that syphons the billions from Australia to these companies making US armaments and hardware. Paul Keating called AUKUS the worst deal in history for Australia. We have been suckered and conned to enrich these insiders at the expense of the nation on the distant possibility of maybe getting subs in 20 or 30 years’ time. No guarantees my friend despite the hundreds of billions of dollars. Now, we have Trump’s America as an unreliable ally siding with Putin’s Russia.
“The great submarine betrayal of France by Australia, which resulted in AUKUS is now shown to be a bad idea. The liar of Australian politics, former PM Scott Morrison who is loathed by President Macron was the key driver behind the international betrayal. Australia should have stuck with the French when it comes to building submarines to protect our national security. In light of Donald Trump’s behaviour and the US becoming an unreliable ally AUKUS seems a very bad idea. Already, labelled the worst deal in history by former PM Paul Keating, the $368 billion deal commits Australia to a Trumpian America now siding with Putin’s Russia over Ukraine.”
Come On Albo!
It is time for Anthony Albanese to step up like John Curtin did during WW2 as a PM Australia can be proud of. Peter Dutton will suck up to Trump as another extremist right wing politician and accelerate an already inequitable Australia. We can look to Canada for inspiration. Trump wants a world ruled by bullies like himself and Putin – they want to carve up the globe into territories like mob bosses and war lords. We need better government, not less.
Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump.
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