Contemporary Australia has some sorry echoes of a less-liberal past, especially as our relations with China continue to deteriorate
In 1993, as the newly appointed editor of the South China Morning Post, I interviewed Lu Ping, the official in charge of China’s arrangements for the Hong Kong handover.
As Lu entered the meeting room, his first words were:
“They tell me you’re Australian.”
“Yes,” I replied, wondering what was to come.
“Good,” he said.
It’s impossible to imagine such an exchange these days.
I returned to Australia recently after 17 years in Asia. I’m happy to be back in such a friendly, beautiful, efficient country but I feel as though I have been caught in a time warp. Much has changed in that time but so much – too much – is sadly familiar. Sadly, because there are many echoes of a more authoritarian past.
Lu’s approval of my nationality was emblematic of the good relations between Australia and China in the past, from the time of the Whitlam government’s diplomatic recognition in 1972, through the hiccups of Kevin Rudd’s prime ministership to the sorry unravelling that began in the terms of Malcolm Turnbull and Xi Jinping.
China once viewed Australia as a reliable supplier of materials it needed, as technologically advanced enough to be useful but small enough not to be a threat, and as friendly.
Former leader Jiang Zemin, in a 1999 interview, told The Australian’s Paul Kelly and me that Australia was thrice-blessed by god: it had great beauty, abundant natural resources – and not too many people.
Now, according to officially sanctioned rhetoric, Beijing sees Australia as chewing gum on the sole of China’s shoe. In Asian societies, there is nothing lower or dirtier than the sole of the foot.
China under Xi has veered in a disturbing and dangerous direction – retro-Maoist-repressive at home, assertive and antagonistic abroad. Australia has responded by pushing back, to use the current jargon. We view China, however, through the prisms of the security, defence and intelligence services. We have become a more illiberal society that has moved closer to the United States and its militaristic stance in Asia.
Once we talked about Australia choosing between its geography and its history. We have chosen our history.
I wish it were only China policy that was caught in the time warp but other aspects of society have echoes of the past.
Government accountability, sleaze and corrupt practices, corporate governance, respect for Indigenous culture and heritage, sexual harassment and the place of women in business, and academic freedom, have all regressed. Climate policy is an exception: it has never been nudged far enough into the future to be judged as having returned to the past.
It is not nostalgic indulgence to recall a time when political leaders were serious about government accountability and combatting sleaze and corruption. Five state jurisdictions have anti-corruption bodies (starting with Nick Greiner’s ICAC in NSW in 1989) but the Morrison government’s contributions to upholding integrity in public life have been to announce, after a long delay, what the late Ron Mulock would have called a gummy shark commission, plus squeezing the funding for the Australian National Audit Office.
This year has been a sorry time for sleaze and corruption. Investigative journalist Michael West has produced a detailed list of contemporary cases but 2020’s lapses include the Leppington Triangle land purchase, the sports rorts affair, the ICAC investigation into former MP Daryl Maguire and Gladys Berejiklian’s willful reluctance to consider the implications of her friendship with him for her ministerial code of conduct.
Not to forget Christine Holgate’s Cartier-inspired elitist insensitivity or James Shipton’s sense of entitlement for taxpayer funding of his tax advice bill.
Nor is it simply wistful to think back to a time when company chairs and chief executives talked about good corporate governance as though they were serious about standards.
Contrast that with the allegations of money laundering and the avoidance of accountability that have come to light during the official inquiry into Crown Resorts.
Contrast it also with the findings of the royal commission into financial institutions: money laundering, including financing of terrorist organisations and child-sex rackets; charging dead people; and charging fees for no-service. Enough to earn Westpac a $1.3billion fine.
It has been disappointing to see the decline in respect for Indigenous heritage. Recent examples are Rio Tinto’s shattering of its past good record on links with Aboriginal communities with the calculated destruction of the Juukan Gorge caves, Victoria’s felling of a treasured Djab Wurrung directions tree and Fortescue Metals holding back royalty payments to pressure an Indigenous corporation to agree to new leases.
I wonder what the late Susan Ryan would have made of the decline in respect for the role and position of women. From the telling lack of attention to childcare in the budget and of support for women’s jobs in the Covid-19 recovery plans, through to allegations or findings of high-level sexual harassment – a former judge, a senior AMP executive and a university vice-chancellor – and confirmation by 4 Corners this week (if it were needed) of sleazy and hypocritical behaviour within the Parliament House bubble.
Progress in the number of women reaching senior executive ranks in big companies is stagnating. And of the 25 CEOs appointed to ASX 200 companies this year, only one was a woman. The boys’ club is surging back.
Australia’s great achievement of 2020 has been bringing Covid-19 under control. Our numbers haven’t quite earned us envy-of-the-world status but overall our governments and healthcare teams and systems have done very well. But the achievement has come at a cost – and it is not just the economy. Our response has had a distinct authoritarian streak, especially with the heavy-handed deployment of the police. And political leaders have gained through governing by fear.
There is more than a hint of old-style anti-intellectualism in the Federal Government’s decision to double fees for humanities degree while cutting fees for other disciplines that might produce what Education Minister Dan Tehan calls job-ready graduates – especially as this is a way of hitting at progressive academics and their ability to produce what might be termed “woke-ready” graduates.
This sad theme continues with the Government’s foreign veto bill, requiring official approval of arrangements between Australian institutions and overseas governments and bodies. The bill aims to give the foreign minister power to make sure international agreements are consistent with Australian foreign policy. Bringing overseas agreements by State governments into line with the national interest is justified but the extension of the power over thousands of arrangements organised by our universities is obsessive micro-management and interference with academic freedom.
And this brings us back to China.
It’s always officially unstated but the legal changes that give government – and the security agencies – more control (foreign espionage and interference laws, the cyber security laws and big budgets) are all aimed at China’s efforts to exert control within Australia.
Our new version of forward defence (outlined in the 2020 Defence Strategic Update that Scott Morrison launched in July) is also aimed at China. Morrison said we were living in the most challenging times since the 1930s and early 1940s. He should cool the rhetoric: these were years when we really were at war.
China’s transgressions under Xi Jinping have provoked a strong Australian response. And rightly so. And having taken a stand against human rights abuses, the effective takeover of Hong Kong and China’s regional belligerence, Australia cannot backpedal: that would be an invitation to a bully.
We stand firm – and then trust to luck on trade. With no luck.
What is missing is any obvious attempt to manage the relationship.
Olive branches extended by China’s deputy head of mission Wang Xining in August and former ambassador Fu Ying in October have been ignored, which means rejected.
We continue to view China through the prism of defence/security/intelligence without broadening our thinking to include history, culture and the Chinese people or the long history of Chinese immigration to Australia.
China is a regional superpower and is contesting America’s place as the main global power. We should be looking for ways of living with China and adjusting to the changing international order. Kevin Rudd makes a point that is worth considering: If Japan can have a mature, professional relationship with China, why can’t Australia?
The election of Joe Biden might provide a chance for a reset. Under Biden, the strategic contest with China will continue and the US will remain tough on trade, technology, cyber security and military power. But it might lower the temperature a little by trying to work with China on such issues as future pandemics and climate change. Appointing a Secretary of State whose name is not Mike Pompeo will help.
Morrison’s stand on China, however, is popular. A Pew Research Center international poll released in October found that 81 per cent of Australians have negative views of China. When policies are popular our marketing-oriented politicians don’t change.
And people like Eric Abetz are encouraged in despicable acts like demanding a loyalty test for Australians of Chinese heritage. Linda Jakobson of China Matters cited it as a sign of Australian McCarthyism; lawyer Jason Yatsen Li said it was racist. They are both right.
McCarthyism, racism, the sneering way people refer to the Communist Party rather than the government are all echoes of the 50s and 60s. We are slipping towards a new Cold War. At times, I half expect to see once again big maps with China at the top and red arrows pointing down towards Australia.
An overstated concern, you might say. But such is the nature of the time warp.
David Armstrong has had a career in media in Australia and Asia spanning more than 40 years. He is a former editor of The Bulletin and of the Canberra Times and editor-in-chief of The Australian and the South China Morning Post. He is currently chair of UCA News Ltd
David Armstrong is an Australian journalist and editor with decades of experience, including as editor-in-chief of The Australian, editor of The Bulletin and The Canberra Times and deputy editor the Daily Telegraph in Australia. He is also former editor and editor-in-chief of the South China Morning Post, former president of the Bangkok Post company, former chair of the Phnom Penh Post company and is current chair of ucanews.com.
Comments
23 responses to “Australia caught in a time warp”
All is not lost with China. Whilst with the US, Australia’s relationships are predominantly at the political, intelligence, and defence level, with China it is at the trading level. Not only does Australia have many outstanding trading relationships with Chinese companies, but these extend almost in total to many firm relationships at a personal level. These relationships in my experience, are built on trust, integrity and a shared sense of humour. Powerful bonds that I do not think Australians at a non-political level share with Americans. It is also important to understand that these same Chinese who we share these commonalities with, are in many instances well connected to the Chinese Government;- with who we also once had a good political relationship! So what has gone wrong? It is not all President Xi’s fault. He is in my view only reacting to fear. Perhaps if we stopped “poking the bear” that might be helpful!
Australians have many strong relationships through- out Asia, built on trust and integrity. It is the political class who are failing us! Trust is something that is precious and takes decades to build. What a tragedy if our political class fail us as a Nation at this critical time!
Peter – you are hitting one on the important nails on the head. Personal relationships do matter and can be extremely useful in times of strained relationships regardless of who is fanning them. It was instructive for me to learn when Whitlam decided to establish relations with PRC, the government at the time realized they didn’t have a phone number to call. Interesting now also in that we say we are unable to get a call through.
Also instructive to remember the PRC government speaks as one without needing to sweat a Parliamentary Opposition or forthcoming election or pressure from a major ally.
It is also able to decide its own importers will wear substantial losses (in some cases higher than the Australian exporters) on trade embargoes, however ‘justified’.
Different from 1972 is the 1.6-2million ethnic Chinese who call Australia home quite aside from the millions of students, researchers and tourists who were experiencing Australia values without leaders in Beijing being worried or threatened.
Aside from our commercial interests, we are geographically positioned in Asia but seen after 240 years, and especially the last 50 with greater independent foreign policy and significant migration, as being a colonial western country. That perception is not a criticism but simply an observation which underpins relationships and alliances.
Thankyou Michael for your response. Of course we cannot escape our history and the perception of us being a colonial western country. This means we all need, as a Nation to work doubly hard. In the past we have had leaders who had the courage and initiative to strike out and develop strong relationships. Now is the time for a display of more of this same intent, not only with China but elsewhere too. This needs a bipartisan approach, which I am sure is possible. -Perhaps even our allies now might have a change of heart also!
Hear hear Peter. One of those former leaders referred to the big canvass. That requires the striking out to which you refer. Indeed it should be bipartisan as deep and strong relations and relations management require that. However, the leaders need to bring the populace with them. Not just to ‘win the vote’ but to lead.
Hear Hear.
“He is currently chair of UCA News Ltd”
Which, for me, invalidates any opinion which he might hold or express.
? is it the name in caps… or something else you dont like?
Could you be confusing UCA, a highly respected independent agency reporting on Catholic news in Asia, with someone else? It seems an odd target for your disdain.
All religious affiliations are suspect and subjects of my distain.
“Religions are the longest running, most successful confidence tricks ever imposted on humanity.”
Ah! Good to see you have such an open mind.
UCA does not proselytise or proclaim religious truth. It provides factual reports about Asia. I find that it is often a useful resource though admittedly I do not share your antipathy to religion.
“Morrison’s stand on China, however, is popular. A Pew Research Center international poll released in October found that 81 per cent of Australians have negative views of China. When policies are popular our marketing-oriented politicians don’t change.”
Chinese Australian community and millions of innocent Chinese people inside and outside China are living in fear of political scapegoats and war, suffering from undue collateral damages melting down from top end.
It is sad that over last 4 years with the relentless propaganda against China and Chinese leaders under the guise of Communist Party of China by unscrupulous mass media and unfortunately including some of our political leadership under the influence of Trump administration. No wonder Pew research has such a change of negative view of China and Chinese people from previously very positive view. It happens first in US as I have relatives in US. Any country can do that as what Hitler regime did to Jews and some Islamic nations in Middle East did the same to Americans etc.
We all are human. There is always the best in us and the worst in us. We all make mistakes but we can all learn from our mistakes. Mistakes may come from ignorance, misinformation, unscrupulous propaganda, hatred and wars. We should all learn to live together in good time and in bad time with mutual cooperation, help and respect for humanity and avoid demonising and hurting one another.
I am sure our Government is being misguided and it is not too late to amend and repair our Australia China relations. Since China has sent us some olive branches and may be it is time for us to reciprocate as it only works if goodwill comes from both sides. Best wishes for the peoples of Australia and China.
War is always preceded by a period of demonizing the opponent. -Soften up the citizens with well orchestrated propaganda; that’s how it always goes! Then its only a matter of time until the “false flag”. Then the citizens who have urged caution to are also demonized. We must not forget that there are many politicians who are so ignorant of economic, trade and monetary matters they believe that the only way to restart an economy after a financial collapse is a war! That they believe, is how you get people back to work!!!
I cannot believe that you or anyone else thinks we are insane enough to want to go to war with China, not by ourselves and not in tandem with the US. No one would win a kinetic exchange, it would be disastrous for us, for China and for the US.
I certainly hope and pray not, but aren’t unnecessary risks being taken?
Ah, a slightly different question. There is desperate flailing and aggression in American rhetoric (but Trump is always only talk, which I’m sure the Chinese recognise). There is increased bellicosity in Chinese attitudes. And there has been a lack of wisdom in Australia – but not as much to my mind as there has been to the minds of may other posters.
Geoff Raby in his new book argues that China is not expansionist, but is concerned about its borders and the preservation of the Communist Party, to which I would add its trade routes. If this is correct to what extent will China tolerate any of these being interfeared with? And does its border security encompass Hong Kong and Taiwan? There is a lot of wisdom required to accommodate Chinese and American interests I agree.
pity Australia… voters unable to recognise we have criminally corrupt government
perhaps we can assume its the US military industrial complex and the neo-liberal politicals in the UK and USA that has encouraged the worst in our politicians
will a relatively sane leader in the USA, enough sensibles in the EU and our Australian state governments that might assist us to climb out of our dumb and dumber current federal government malaise?
Perhaps there should be a realist analysis that the US empire in Asia is in terminal decline. The PRC is a rising powrer and in our region. The anti-China hysteria is an existential problem. Most Australias simply cant for political and cultural reasons accept a dominant China. The facts wont bend to the prejudice. Australians will have to change their basic attitudes to China. As for Xi the current Chinese slogan sums it up. Under Mao China stood up. Under Deng China became rich. Under Xi China became strong. Its going to be a very unhappy decade for a lot of Australians. The white Anglo American dominance of Asia is over. Hoping that a senile Democratic Party corporate chancer like Biden will turn it around for the Australian dreamers of empires past is laughable. Bidens crowd follow the markets and the money. And that is in China.
But everyone here keeps saying China is not an existential threat, Paul. Are you now saying you believe China will exterminate Australia as we have it today unless we become properly servile?
There is indeed every reason for Australia to seek a good relationship with China. But not at any price. Are you happy to be called chewing gum on China’s shoe, which another post today calls about the worst insult an Asian can make? You seem to believe that might makes right, which justifies China in any action it thinks fit – but I may have misunderstood you here. Apologies if so.
I’ve said this before, but not recently. We can have a perfectly good trade relationship with China while recognising it is not a friend. Many countries, including Russia, do this. We should not look to be insulting or provocative (where Japan is a good model), but nor should we allow China to set our domestic agendas. Why should we accept the constant trade bullying as punishment? Of course, we can’t do anything about it, but it shows China is a hostile and erratic partner whose trade agreements cannot be trusted, and that over the coming decades we need to build other markets.
And the best way for a small to middle power like us to co-exist with China is strong relationships in the region, especially with Japan, Indonesia, India and South Korea.
I didnt say PRC was an existential threat. I thought it was clear. Australian anti-China hysteria and sino phobia is deeply rooted in a racist view of Chinese as basically industrious coolies. Existential ideas form nations and the perception of nations. Can i refer you to the late Bendict Anderson and his brilliant Imagined Communities? Thats what I meant as in philosophical existentialism; concerned with the nature of human existence as determined by freely made choices. Personally i never thought “Chewy on your boot” was much of an insult. But if you believe nations can run large trade surpluses with their enemies good luck. Empires are falling and a socialist nation is rising. And blow me down i lived long enough to see it. As for your empire nostalgic Australia, all the best with the trade negotiations with Boris Johnstone’s England.
My apology – my misunderstanding. BTW, I don’t see China as an enemy, or by no means necessarily, just not a friend. I don’t think China is much interested in friends.
These are simply restatements of unsupported allegations. China is far less repressive than the US (2,000,000 imprisoned) and non-antagonistic abroad. Even in the South China Sea, China occupies today exactly the same features it has occupied since 1987.
All true David. And, what is to be done? Do you have views on what has led to this situation?