As a former intelligence chief UQ's
Peter Varghese would understand better
than most why Australia needs a
Singapore style Operation Cold Store.
Australia faces in the 21st century the same sort of infiltration by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that Singapore and Malaysia have had to confront since the mid 40s. While the CCP's strategy in Australia is more covert and does not include a 1940s style armed insurgency, the objective of influencing local politics to serve the interest of the CCP remains.
As is the case today in Australia, the CCP found support and gained the cooperation among Singapore and Malaysia's political classes, including those in government. In Singapore the problem was addressed in 1963 by the detention of a number of prominent members of the ruling Peoples Action Party (PAP). Codenamed Operation Cold Store, it's execution by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew remains controversial and is considered by many to be nothing more than part of Lee's determination to get rid of his rivals. Be that all as it may be, Chin Peng the leader of the Malayan Communist Party at the time, wrote in his autobiography:
"Operation Cold Store shattered our underground network throughout the island. Those who escaped the police net went into hiding. Many fled to Indonesia".
The Australian Government in 1963, led by Robert Menzies, did not object to Operation Cold Store and successive Australian prime ministers remained firm supporters of Lee Kuan Yew and his methods. The current Australian Government should then have no objection to adapting some of Lee's techniques: while detention without trial might not be possible under Australian law, removing from positions of authority or influence those who have been identified with the CCP and its operations in Australia should not be difficult.
The Australian case is in many ways simpler to analyse, for supporters of the CCP have not been shy to identify themselves with the CCP cause. One recent example is Peter Varghese, the University Of Queensland Chancellor who has found it possible to justify disciplinary action against a student activist on the basis that the student's activities condemning the conduct of the CCP would harm UQ's relationship with the CCP. As former intelligence chief Varghese of all people would understand why he should be first among those subject to sanctions under an Australian version of Operation Cold Store.
TO BE READ WITH
uesday, May 19, 2020
That ordinary Australian university student politics can harm trade with China demonstrates why Peter Varghese & Andrew Robb's China FTA is a bad deal: Varghese must be removed as UQ Chancellor, must not be allowed to trash Australian university traditions in order to defend his legacy
by Ganesh Sahathevan
Australian national interest better served by the removal of
Peter Varghese as UQ Chancellor
In praise of his work the then Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Peter N Varghese AO declared in 2015:
"ChAFTA is a remarkably good deal for Australia and the best deal that China has done with any partner to date.ChAFTA will make a real difference to the livelihoods of Australian farmers and producers".
The claim that the China-Australia Free Trade deal (ChAFTA) is "the best" that China has done with any country is interesting. Given the position that Australia finds itself in today where it would seem that nothing can be decided in the national interest
Varghese worked on that deal with his minister, the then Minister for Trade and Investment, Andrew Robb. That Robb agreed to Chinese workers effectively taking the place of local workers on Australian construction sites, in order to get the deal done, says much of Robb's incompetence. That he then went on to work for the PLA linked Landbridge says much about his loyalties.
That ordinary student politics at UQ can be seen to harm UQ's business relationship with China provides further evidence that the ChAFTA was a bad deal to begin with. That Varghese finds himself in a position where he has to deal with the consequences of his work is poetic. He must not however be allowed to use his position to defend his legacy, and in the process ruin the tradition we have in Australian universities of open and vigorous debate, no matter how unruly or offensive it may seem.
Varghese must go,and Pavlou be provded all the backing he needs to ensure that the perpetrators of the so-called "disciplinary action" against him are removed from the tertiary education system.
END
TO BE READ WITH
Australian national interest better served by the removal of
Peter Varghese as UQ Chancellor
In praise of his work the then Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Peter N Varghese AO declared in 2015:
"ChAFTA is a remarkably good deal for Australia and the best deal that China has done with any partner to date.ChAFTA will make a real difference to the livelihoods of Australian farmers and producers".
The claim that the China-Australia Free Trade deal (ChAFTA) is "the best" that China has done with any country is interesting. Given the position that Australia finds itself in today where it would seem that nothing can be decided in the national interest
Varghese worked on that deal with his minister, the then Minister for Trade and Investment, Andrew Robb. That Robb agreed to Chinese workers effectively taking the place of local workers on Australian construction sites, in order to get the deal done, says much of Robb's incompetence. That he then went on to work for the PLA linked Landbridge says much about his loyalties.
That ordinary student politics at UQ can be seen to harm UQ's business relationship with China provides further evidence that the ChAFTA was a bad deal to begin with. That Varghese finds himself in a position where he has to deal with the consequences of his work is poetic. He must not however be allowed to use his position to defend his legacy, and in the process ruin the tradition we have in Australian universities of open and vigorous debate, no matter how unruly or offensive it may seem.
Varghese must go,and Pavlou be provded all the backing he needs to ensure that the perpetrators of the so-called "disciplinary action" against him are removed from the tertiary education system.
END
TO BE READ WITH
Peter Varghese has been wrong about Iran, jihadis in SEA, and now China: Australia's national interest better served by the activism of UQ student Drew Pavlou, not UQ Chancellor Peter Varghese. Australians should seek Varghese's removal as UQ Chancellor
No comments:
Post a Comment