Australian Prime Minister opts for a military led recovery from the Covid recession

The decision of the Australian Government to spend $270 billion on military spending is backward thinking and ultimately a disadvantage for all Australians.

“We now know why the Australian Government has been conducting a scare campaign about China and Chinese cyber warfare. Clearly it is intended to build up a fear of China which will allow Australians to acquiesce in the exorbitant spending proposed,” said Denis Doherty of the Australian Anti-Bases Campaign.

“Tensions in the Indo Pacific region are largely those manufactured by the Morrison Government in partnership with US and are being used to rush Australians into accepting the purchase of exorbitant and unnecessary weaponry.

“Scott Morrison has deliberately ignored the positive role of China in the Covid crisis. This socialist country has aided many millions with free medical equipment. It offered assistance to the State of New York, to Italy and to many developing countries including those suffering from US sanctions such as Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran.

“The US has maintained all its sanctions. As a result governments have been less able to assist their citizens suffering from the pandemic. The US also withdrew $400 million from the WHO which affected medical aid to many parts of Africa,” Mr Doherty said.

“The Government continues to spend recklessly on the military amid the pandemic and is planning to send Australian Defense Forces forces to the RIMPAC exercises at the cost of many more millions.  This money would be far better spent on constructing more social housing and more socially useful projects such as Jobkeeper.

“The Government is ideologically committed to assist arms companies rather than the people of Australia or the region.  The Government’s hypocrisy is evident in their approach to the Yemen war.  Australia has donated $40 million to the UN fund for Yemen but just one Australian arms company has been given $36 million to supply weapons to the Saudis who are prosecuting the war in Yemen.

“The Morrison Government is on a path to causing more misery in Australia and the region, once again at the behest of the US Trump Administration.”