Episodes

  • Episode 91

    Episode 91
    May 6 2025

    The election result is a surprisingly strong win for Labor, but it's important to understand the basis for that.


    Yes, the Coalition ran a poor campaign and the ALP a good one - but the real reason for a reversal in poll numbers during the last 4 months is because of the Trump Effect, similar to what has occurred in Canada.


    It's important not to lose sight of the big picture - Trump's tariff war risks destroying the global economy and Australia will not be insulated from the consequences. Let's go down memory lane with what happened in this region last time the US did this in 1930 with the Smoot Hawley tariffs.


    Most people know what happened in Europe with the rise of the Nazis in Germany. Less well known is the effect on Japan, which was also devastated by the tariffs and used their colony of Korea to seize all of Manchuria in 1931, the precursor to the full blown invasion of China 6 years later.


    The new Australian government should be doing its best to deter the actions of the Trump administration not aid and abet them.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    19 mins
  • Episode 90

    Episode 90
    Apr 29 2025
    This Federal election 2025 special podcast starts with the shocking news that the government is offering nothing new on the Defence and national security front - and the opposition isn't much better. For Australians interested in topics other than the most dull, mundane, routine "news" they will have to go elsewhere than the election campaign and the woeful performance of much of the media. The US is radically transforming in front of our eyes, realigninging with Russia and other authoritarian regimes. President Donald Trump's trade war is in the process of wrecking the US economy - and unless he changes direction, within a few weeks 500,000 jobs will be lost in California alone. This is a rapidly sinking ship - but you won't hear a word of that from the major Australian political parties.

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    20 mins
  • Episode 89

    Episode 89
    Apr 15 2025

    Economic turmoil continues in the US with almost daily shifts in the tariff war being conducted against everyone except Russia.


    The self-destructive economic behaviour of the Trump administration is likely to drive countries in our region much closer to China - something that will have major implications for Australian security. Not that you will hear a word about that from any of our head in the sand politicians.


    Then some words about the movie The Downfall and the ability of some politicians to live in a fantasy world, ignoring all of the evidence in front of them.


    The Australian people are being told two big lies: that the US relationship is as rock solid as ever and that massive increases to our Defence budget are underway.


    Neither is true.

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    19 mins
  • Episode 88

    Episode 88
    Apr 8 2025

    We record this episode with a sense of impending doom now that we know what Trump administration Liberation Day looks like – and it’s bad.


    The US is voluntarily withdrawing from world leadership, and it would not be a surprise if NATO, the IMF and the WTO are next. Not that you will hear a peep from our politicians or most of the media, who simply cannot imagine anything other than a comfortable world led by Washington. If anything, our national security apparatus is even worse, saying we should not offer moral support to Canada or Denmark – or anyone else – because “it’s got nothing to do with us”.


    What an utterly disgraceful attitude – and it explains the poor quality of so much recent decision making.


    Then some powerful words from Canadian Prime Minister Steven Carney warning that the world has changed forever. If only our politicians could show a similar level of leadership.


    It’s time to start diversifying sources of military supply right now – more local production and strengthen relationships not only with Europe but also South Korea, Japan and Singapore.

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    20 mins
  • Episode 87

    Episode 87
    Apr 2 2025
    We start with some words about the Avalon air show last week. The mood among Australian companies was a bit subdued because Defence expenditure is drying up – but top marks to the RAAF for engaging with the media and doing their best to be open and frank. On that note, an apology to AVM Nick Hogan for how some sections of the press (not us) misinterpreted his comments about F-35s. There is a lot of official support for Boeing Australia’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft and hopefully it will be in series production next year. Then there was a very important AUKUS seminar on March 31 organised by Malcolm Turnbull – and the overwhelming consensus of participants is that Australia will not receive nuclear powered submarines from the US or the UK. To make the situation worse, there is no plan B. We say: invest in underwater drones – an area where Australia has a lot of capability. Finally on US threats to take over Greenland by force. The last time we checked, Denmark – which is responsible for Greenland - is part of NATO and therefore the island is already well protected by the alliance, of which the US is an important part (for the moment). The only person currently threatening Greenland is President Donald Trump.

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    19 mins
  • Episode 86

    Episode 86
    Mar 25 2025
    The unreliability of the US as an ally continues to be demonstrated with President Donald Trump publicly reinforcing his wish to turn Canada into the 51st State - but you won't hear that from any Australian politicians because they are too weak to speak out in defence of a Five Eyes ally. We quote at length from Singapore's Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, who says the US is no longer a reliable ally but instead is behaving like a "rent seeker." He warns that a political earthquake has happened and that a tsunami is coming, and we must be prepared. This message has been heard in Europe and throughout the Indo-Pacific, just not by Australia. Some words about Canada purchasing Australia's JORN system - possibly as part of a move to decouple from the US. Regarding AUKUS Pillar one, we have some new jargon from Defence Minister Richard Marles: it's apparently a "treaty level agreement" - except there's no such thing. Either you have a treaty, or you do not. Clearly, there is no AUKUS treaty - just empty words and promises from an ally who demonstrably can no longer be trusted.

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    20 mins
  • Episode 85

    Episode 85
    Mar 17 2025
    The shock waves from the US betrayal of Ukraine and their threats against Canada and Denmark are being felt all around the world, except in Australia where politicians and the media have their heads firmly in the sand. A notable exception was former PM Malcolm Turnbull who has tried to alert people to the danger, but instead has only been asked about the complete irrelevance of his negative comments about Donald Trump and how they might have impacted exemptions from tariffs. Our current PM and Defence Minister can only keep repeating nonsense that the US alliance is safe because there was bipartisan support in Congress for AUKUS legislation. Well, APDR has read the legislation and all that it does is set up the bank account for Australian cash to be deposited - for the US Secretary of Defence to spend on whatever he damn well pleases. When it comes to making ourselves less dependent on the US, we should immediately take up an offer from South Korea to jointly develop a next generation Army C2 system. Why aren't Defence officials on their way to Seoul right now? Finally, it looks like the Collins Life of Type Extension (LOTE) program is another disaster - and the consequence is that in the 2030s Australia will have no submarines at all.

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    20 mins
  • Episode 84

    Episode 84
    Mar 10 2025

    Due to the complete betrayal of Ukraine by the US, the security situation for the western world – including Australia – is worsening.


    However, you wouldn’t know that here with complete political and media indifference with people preferring to focus on the weather situation in Queensland.


    This is appalling parochialism and is ignoring the reality that the cherished “special relationship” with Washington is over. It’s finished. The US is no longer a reliable ally because the President is acting as if he is a Russian asset.


    What we are witnessing is a modern-day version of the infamous Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939, which divided Eastern Europe up between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union – except this time it’s Russia and the US deciding the future of Ukraine and other countries.


    It’s disgusting – and now Canada is also receiving treatment from the US that their Prime Minister believes is part of an attempt to turn it into the 51st US state.


    This isn’t a joke, and Australians need to wake up.


    Our government needs to overcome its terror of upsetting the US and show some backbone on behalf of our friends and allies. We have leverage and should not be afraid to use it.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    20 mins