Letter

In response to Climate, not China, is the Pacific’s real security threat

Not a mention of Indonesia

While Australia blindly follows along in lockstep with US policy – which is mainly driven by the arms industry and the selling of weapons – there is seldom any mention of Australia’s nearest neighbour. It is a neighbour within paddling distance of our northern shores, a neighbour whose natives were visiting Australia long before Captain Cook, a neighbour as much under threat from climate change as any island state, a neighbour who is also spending records amounts on weapons building up its defence forces. That’s not to be pointing fingers at Indonesia, but as as desperate times become closer desperate actions become the norm.

— Bob Pearce from Adelaide SA