This claim tends to conflate “risk through alignment” with “active threat". The framing is much too blunt.

If you believe Chinese pressure will remain limited and stable
You see U.S. conflict risk as the dominant threat.
If you think Chinese coercion could escalate that's where you see the threat.
In the end it's not really a binary choice. It's which mix of risks is more manageable over time.

A better explainer, is the U.S alliance increases the risk of Australia being drawn into conflict. On the other side, is the risk that Chinese pressure to align with its interest would escalate if it was effective.

Increased naval presence along key shipping routes.
Cyber and infrastructure attacks...
Regional and trade pressure
Military signalling
Deterrence is mostly invisible.
If coercion doesn’t happen, it’s easy to say the alliance didn’t matter.
Not saying the risk is high. But there is a real risk.

Australia ready for AUKUS subs as China threat looms, US commander says The US's Indo-Pacific commander praises work to upgrade Australia's AUKUS base, but says he needs more naval firepower in the region as China rapidly expands its military.

The risk with AUKUS is it ties Australia to U.S and makes us a future target.
Alternative risk?
Without the U.S is we fail to deter Chinese coersion in the future.
Navigating a number of bad futures.
#auspol
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04...

Gas lobby spends millions on anti-tax ads – as it happened All the day’s news as it unfolded

Let's hope the gas industry spending millions in propaganda,
Is a sign the Labor govt is about to act
This is a rare opportunity. Time to pull the trigger. #gastax
#auspol

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

A more accurate headline would be "More than a third of people seeking food relief are doing so for the first time”
Neverthelessless it is disturbing.

What if they have looked at other possible options. What if they found that other options present a greater risks to Australian security.

You need to get out more. Bye.

What nonsense.

Australia has never been self sufficient in fertilisers. AUKUS has nothing to do with it.

Automatic indexation would overcome but its invisible. If govts are gonna give up revenue with tax cuts they want to make a song and dance about.

Story on ABC website about gas prices remaining stable in Australia during this crisis. The prospect of a gas tax have the big corps so worried, they decided not to gouge this crisis.

While I accept your point, inflation was very high in the 1970's (18% in 1975). Bracket creep was severe. The rich thresholds didn't stay exclusive for long.

Most Australians believe life was better 50 years ago: ANUpoll Average life satisfaction is lower than during the COVID-19 lockdowns and more than one in three Australians are finding life difficult or very difficult on their current income, according to ANUpoll ...

"Satisfaction with the way democracy works has remained broadly stable with almost two-thirds of Australians (65.7 per cent) satisfied or very satisfied."
This is a good sign.
#auspol
www.anu.edu.au/news/all-new...

Farmers welcome fertiliser deal struck between Australia and Indonesia | Region Canberra An extra 250,000 tonnes of agricultural-grade urea has been secured for Australian farmers in a fertiliser deal struck with the…

Say what you like about other issues,
On a mission to secure much needed fuel and fertiliser during this crisis.
Labor govt are doing an excellent job.
#auspol
region.com.au/farmers-welc...

Why the gas giants stopped gouging After a decade and a half of mostly failed threats from three prime ministers and constant surveillance by the competition regulator, the east coast gas export giants are suddenly putting Australians ...

This is what heavy political and regulatory pressure can do.
Price caps
Export controls
ACCC scrutiny
The gas giants stopped gouging.
#auspol
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04...

This robot would be smashed by a human riding a bicycle.

A "Tell me why I don't like Mondays" moment, for sure.

Bit overhyped but still an illustration of rapid progress in this area.
Think robot streakers crashing grand finals.

You can have the last word.

Marles made it clear in his NPC speech that the submarines will likely operate in drone saturated battlespace. They could deploy, control, surveil drones in a forward command situation.

Pretty sure I didn't say that. So I have no intention of defending a position I don't hold.

But we are more rational, Lorna. We see the danger in taking extreme positions, not really supported by evidence.

Good for you then.

Jesus! Stop conflating all these issues. Bye.

What an absurd thing to say. "Trade"? It is possible to hold 2 mutually exclusive positions at the same time. It is possible to find Israel's actions indefensible while simultaneously acknowledging that Labor has done a whole bunch of good things but could do more.
Seriously, do better.

No, it's not the same. I acknowledge that Labor could do more, but at the same time I recognise what they have done. You see the difference?

We probably agree on this at least partially. What's missing from the HAFF is a mechanism to keep house prices lower. CGT or neg gearing reform will have little effect. A land tax, no exceptions is what we need. Stop people sitting on under utilised property. Political dynamite, of course.

I'd like to see unemployment rise but I think this derangement from some on the left, refusing to acknowledge any good from the Labor govt is just feeble thinking.