I wasn’t, it’s fair to say, particularly enamoured of Stephen Conroy’s tenure as Communications Minister for the Rudd and Gillard governments. In that role, Conroy leaned heavily towards censorship, especially of the internet. Yet, Conroy was also one of the few Labor MPs to openly push back against anti-Semitism. He has also spoken passionately about China’s genocidal policies towards its Uyghur people.
Conroy is speaking out against Beijing again.
Former Labor minister Stephen Conroy says communist China has been “looking for an excuse” to pay Australia back ever since it banned the Chinese state-owned Huawei from the 5G rollout.
The issue of allowing the Xi regime to get its hooks into the 5G network via Huawei has vexed governments, especially those in the “Five Eyes” intelligence network. The US and Australia have strenuously opposed granting access to Huawei, but the UK government easily caved. The Ardern government resisted at first, then did an abrupt about-face. Canada is yet to decide.
Beijing quickly tightened the screws on Canada, particularly after Canada responded to a US extradition request and arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. In swift retaliation, China arrested 13 Canadian citizens.
Now, Beijing is applying the boot heel to Australia.
Back in August 2018, Australia banned Huawei – the Chinese state-owned telecommunications company – from being involved in the country’s roll out of 5G technology.
China has now threatened to place a close to 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley exports, under the guise of an ‘anti-dumping probe,’ giving the Australian government less than two weeks to resolve the issue.
Mr Conroy said this move is clearly in retaliation to the Huawei decision and Australia’s call for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus, adding that the Australian government cannot “allow an authoritarian dictatorship to coverup its role” in the outbreak of the virus[…]
“If you kowtow to China once, they know that they’ve got you and they’ll do it again”.
Unfortunately, New Zealand’s government failed that particular test of nerves. It remains to be seen whether the Morrison government holds fast. So far, they’ve talked a good game – even as strategic Chinese buy-ups of Australian assets go ahead.
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