Three slabs of minor polling news in lieu of what I’d consider a proper federal opinion poll:
• The quarterly JWS Research True Issues survey of issue salience finds concerns about the cost of living have shot up since March, with 38% choosing it as one of the three issues the federal government should be most focused on, up from 16%. This pushes hospitals, health care and ageing to second place, down from 37% to 34%. Twenty per cent think the national economy headed in the right direction, down eight points since March, compared with 33% for wrong direction, up three, maintaining a downward trend going back to early last year. The new federal government scores 54% on an index score for its general performance, meaning it scored very slightly above par overall on a measure where respondents were asked to rank it on a five-point scale, which compares with 47% for the previous government in March. The survey was conducted August 12 to 15 from a sample of 1000.
• SEC Newgate’s monthly Mood of the Nation attitudinal polling, conducted from a sample of 1800, finds 47% consider the federal government is doing a good to excellent job, up eight points since June. Fifty-seven per cent expressed support for an indigenous voice to parliament, down one on May, with opposition at 19%, up three. There was a ten-point increase in positivity towards “Australia transitioning its electricity generation to renewables” since June, now at 70%, with 12% negatively disposed, down seven.
• Roy Morgan’s weekly update video informs us that its polling conducted from August 22 to 28 had Labor’s lead at 52-48, in from 53-47 a week earlier and a good deal narrower than recent results from Newspoll and Resolve Strategic. Primary votes are Labor 36% (down one-and-a-half), Coalition 39.5% (up one), Greens 10.5% (down one) and One Nation 4% (up one-and-a-half).
The Age/Herald has also trickled out the further results from last week’s Resolve Strategic poll:
• The government’s legislated target of a 43% reduction in carbon emissions was supported by 62%, including 27% who strongly supported it, and opposed by 19%, including 10% who were strongly opposed.
• The 500 New South Wales respondents from the poll included 56% who reckoned John Barilaro’s trade commissioner appointment a case of “jobs for the boys”, compared with only 14% for the alternative option that he was a worthy candidate in a fair process, and 45% who felt Dominic Perrottet had handled the matter badly compared with 27% who thought he had handled it well.
• The 500 Victorian respondents included 42% who credited state Labor with greater integrity and honesty compared with 21% for the Coalition, and 53% who expected Labor to win the election compared with 18% for the Coalition.
• Only 7% expect COVID-19 numbers to increase in the coming months, down from 20% in March; 33% expect roughly the same numbers “perhaps for months/years”, down six from March; and 42% expect numbers to decrease, up from 28%, which includes 25% who thought they would later come back again, up from 18%.
Thanks BK.
https://johnmenadue.com/what-is-it-with-pollies-tanks-and-defence-waste/
Noel Turnbull is right to be sick of defence waste.
Apologies for not posting a link to the relevant site, but if you google “military spending by country” or something similar, you will probably find that Italy ($27.8bn US) and Australia ($26.3bn US) spend almost the same on defence these days.
Italy, however, has about 50% more capability in almost every aspect of their defence force. 50%.
Not only that, Italy has a significant, home-grown, defence industry. Much of their defence equipment is not only built in Italy, it is designed there, too – giving them a significant capacity to export weapons systems and technology.
We, on the other hand, design very few of our equipment items, meaning we pay a premium to import other countries’ technologies.
Add our technological dependence to unforgivable waste and we spend more for less than any other country in the world. (Read that sentence again and let it sink in.)
BTW, our Australian built submarines are Swedish-designed. Sweden spends less than half our defence budget, yet we needed their submarine technology. They also have a home grown aerospace company: Saab, which has built the core of Sweden’s air force for decades.
Australia: never in the field of defence capability has so much been spent for so little.
“One parent said that the fees they paid amounted to driving a small BMW off a cliff each year.”
How many BMWs did Morrison and his LNP government drive off a cliff each and every day ?
Is this just conservative sabre rattling?
Britains senior WO1 warns troops that they should prepare their families for the news that soldiers will be fighting Putin.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1658096/russia-ukraine-war-british-troops-putin-news-world-war-3
The Morrison LNP government was simply arrogant, random, secretive, unattached and dishonest.
Morrison has had a history of of all of the above in a number of roles yet was allowed to gain the parliamentary leadership.
I believe that was because it was thought that those were the qualities that would be beneficial in a national leader.
And I believe that Morrison is using the book ‘Plagued’ to get back into the good graces of the public by showing that he has those ‘qualities’ in spades, in contrast to our new wishy washy leaders.
He’s wrong, of course, as people have realised that the ‘qualities’ Morrison possesses only lead to the Putins, Trumps and Orbans of the world, and that’s the worst of all worlds. Literally.
…not just handy in retirement, but imagine if you’d put the equivalent money in a trust fund for your kid, sent them to a public school, and then they got the dosh when they were in their twenties.
Other parents have spent (part) of the money to support programs in their local public school or used it to provide their children with additional educational experiences, in response to their needs and interests.
But private schools aren’t about education. I’ve seen it with many of my hubby’s old school friends, many of whom were regarded as basically a waste of space at Uni (one was told by an expert panel than a random off the street would have done better in his exams…) who have ended up earning way above their merit because they have the connections.
Dog’s Brunch @ #1012 Sunday, September 4th, 2022 – 8:58 am
I doubt it’s sabre rattling. The British intelligence agencies have been on top of the game Putin is playing since before the war with Ukraine began. Putin has already stated that Ukraine is only the beginning of his plans and he has plans to reabsorb the Baltic States, Moldova and other areas back into the Russian nation.
In fact, Putin was in Kaliningrad the other day and he has deployed hypersonic missiles there. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to guess what for.
Watching humans adapt(or not) to climate change will be interesting if nothing else…this Spanish approach is one such attempt.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-04/weavers-recycle-shopping-bags-to-shield-spanish-village-from-sun/101402964
zoomster says:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 8:59 am
…not just handy in retirement, but imagine if you’d put the equivalent money in a trust fund for your kid, sent them to a public school, and then they got the dosh when they were in their twenties.
Other parents have spent (part) of the money to support programs in their local public school or used it to provide their children with additional educational experiences, in response to their needs and interests.
But private schools aren’t about education. I’ve seen it with many of my hubby’s old school friends, many of whom were regarded as basically a waste of space at Uni (one was told by an expert panel than a random off the street would have done better in his exams…) who have ended up earning way above their merit because they have the connections.
I went to a private high school and taught in two (including The Kings School) and ‘waste of space’ is apt. 32 years in public education showed me where the real educators are, private schools ‘harbour’ many dead-beats as teachers because of the ‘Mr Chips’ factor.
Good one, C@t: hypersonic missiles…rocket scientists…LOL!
Rakali at 8.42am
Are those plans coming from the Sir Humphreys in Whitehall instead of the Tory genuises? (Not necessarily the same.)
Without Scotland the Tories may have less chance of losing revised Westminster elections.
No doubt Truss doesn’t want to be the last UK PM, but she is well suited to the role. Note the date given up thread (Oct 23) for the supposed early UK election coincides with the date that Sturgeon wants for referendum.
Confessions @ #1486 Sunday, September 4th, 2022 – 7:53 am
Indeed. Dutton continues to fail test after test by choosing to not engage. His followers must be tearing their hair out. You could excuse the silence by virtue of his needing first to be asked, but the LOTO should have little trouble attracting journalistic attention. It makes me think of that great imaginary ship that Mr Morrison claims to have been steering through a storm. It is starting to look more like a great ship left adrift by a crew who couldn’t be bothered even to look for the horizon, and a now departed captain who didn’t know or care where he wanted us to go.
If what’s left of that disorganised uncaring lot, now led by the dog that caught the car, represents our backup crew, then heaven help us if we ever put them in charge again.
Could someone please tell the Liberal Party that you can’t get anything done unless you talk!?!
Cash, Taylor, Ley, etc have been badmouthing the summit while their Coalition partner David Littleproud has contributed constructively to it.
The Liberals are clearly nonplussed.
Cat 9.02 am
Have you forgotten how badly Putin’s war in Ukraine is going for him, or how pathetically bad the US occupation of Iraq was?
In what circumstances would Russia lose control entirely of its Kaliningrad enclave? If they are stupid enough to start a war with NATO over the Baltic states. Very unlikely to happen.
Brilliant day at the local soccer yesterday.
Son played in the Reserves, who won their Semi easily.
Then a nail biter in the Senior Men’s Semi, where the team he played for most of the year (before injury) was 2-1 down coming into extra time (time added due to game stoppage) and ended up winning by either 3-2 or 4-2.
The reason there’s some doubt was that there was a corner awarded to the other team in the last minute of game time, so all their players – including their goalie – went up to the box to try and get an equaliser.
The ball was deflected, and our team’s striker (who has been racially abused by the other team’s goalie in the past) took it on a brilliant run down the ground, the goalie stumbling frantically behind him, to score an easy, uncontested goal.
It doesn’t matter if it is counted or not – it was a beautiful moment!
C@tmomma @ #1512 Sunday, September 4th, 2022 – 9:16 am
Oh they could talk (leg off an iron pot) – endless mindless patronising self-justifying dismissive glossolalia.
Snappy Tom
No arguments on defense waste here from me either. Apologies if I have gone on about it too often, but we are wasting billions per year on hardware, then say we can’t afford to give adequate mental health care to Mid east war veterans.
Other examples similar to yours include France, Finland, Israel and Singapore, which all get far better value than we do while building a good quality military.
Naval shipbuilding has obviously been a victim of Liberal government’s ideological hatred of local manufacturing. The on again off again nature of the way work has been programmed guarantees high labour cost and loss of skills.
Defence loves using “primes”, invariably large foreign contractors, because they take care of all the project management with sub contractors. But we pay a fortune for this. Plus we pay a fortune for foreign IP, while giving away our own to the same allied countries.
As a minimum, Marles needs to insist that Defence report every project to US standards. That will start to expose where the rot is occurring.
Have a good day all.
Speers seems a lot more settled, and a better listener, which reflects I think the general respect for who is being interviewed, and what they are saying.
Regarding misuse of charities….
https://theconversation.com/amp/shane-warne-foundation-a-wake-up-call-for-charities-regulator-51034
https://www.unswlawjournal.unsw.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Issue-451-Langford-and-Webster.pdf
Like with Warne, I don’t suggest illegal wrongdoing with these charities. I don’t even suggest they are all in it for selfish purposes (although I reckon a goodly portion of it is a clear slush fund setup for exe perks). I do question the value of them and, in particular, in comparison to the value of an undertaking by these high fliers to instead donate 10% of their bloated salaries to efficient charities rather than joining up with one that offers them tax free benefits for little return to society.
Can carbon capture and storage help Australia achieve net zero by 2050?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-04/carbon-capture-and-storage-doubts-amid-net-zero-aim/101389616
Spoiler Alert: No.
”
Macca RBsays:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 7:32 am
AFL Footy Finals.
A great weekend of results.
All of the Melbourne clubs defeated.
Freo coming from way, way, way back to knock off Free Kick Footscray.
Go the Catters.
”
Well, That is one way of looking at the results.
The other way to look at it is that there are 3 Victorian teams in competition.
Pleasing results are defeats of Richmond, Collingwood.
”
Socratessays:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 7:34 am
Thanks BK. As Confessions said the Plagued revelations are damning of Morrison:
“ In a later meeting of the NSC on 20 April 2020, “Morrison took a decision to up the ante with Beijing”, telling the meeting “the time had come to be more strident in its language about China’s conduct”
So doesn’t this quote suggest Morrison deliberately inflamed the China dispute that cost us over $20 billion in trade sanctions??
”
Shhhhh…
Zoomster @ 0923
Great news re your son’s soccer team.
Speaking of sport, the AFLW is becoming an embarassment. Yesterday in Perth the Dockers’ managed to score only one behind in their 26 point loss to the Cats.
A week earlier the Cats had a similiar very low scoring affair.
I think the issue is that the available talent is spread too thinly across the competition whereas the NRL / ARU has fewer teams and a shorter more focussed season.
The other concern is the lack of support staff particularly umpires etc Australia wide to support the AFLW season properly.
There needs to be a rethink by the AFL otherwise fans will stay away in droves and the AFLW will become a parody.
“One parent said that the fees they paid amounted to driving a small BMW off a cliff each year.”
Don’t those secret handshakes and dodgy initiations count for anything?
”
Steve777says:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 7:55 am
Socrates ”So doesn’t this quote suggest Morrison deliberately inflamed the China dispute that cost us over $20 billion in trade sanctions??”
Hugh White seems to think so:
”The most likely explanation is that he did it to please Washington. The Trump administration is plainly determined to talk up China’s responsibility for the pandemic, both to deflect domestic criticism of its own woeful and at times farcical mismanagement of the crisis, and to score points against Beijing in their escalating geopolitical contest for influence in Asia and globally.”
https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2020/05/10/australia-must-get-better-at-picking-its-fights-with-china/
”
Shhh….
Why do you want to upset some posters on the blog? 🙂
Ray (UK)
That’s one view Rakali .. then again look how much bitching there was about the Brexit referendum, it being such a drastic move – taking us out of the EU – which passed very narrowly on a less than stellar turnout with the winning side being nowhere near 50% of the electorate
It’s not unheard of for “constitutional” type questions around the world.
————
Given that self determination is “normal” for a country, what about requiring over 50% of the total electorate to remain under London’s rule?
”
porotisays:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 8:22 am
The news India’s economy is now larger than the UK’s will bring a tear to the eye of the Rule Brittania set but what really leapt out was the graph. The UK GDP has flatlined for the past 14 years, a dead parrot.
UK Slips Behind India to Become World’s Sixth Biggest Economy
Loss of status comes as ruling Tory party elects new premier
Cost of living shock batters UK, while Indian economy surges
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-02/uk-slips-behind-india-to-become-world-s-sixth-biggest-economy
”
poroti
A tear of happiness in the eye of
UK rulers because colonised became somehow more successful than they thought they would become.
And in one of the articles you posted earlier, it was mentioned that India has third biggest economy based people purchasing power behind China and US.
I’m not as poetic as Late Riser.
Cool and windy with sunny periods in Sydney following two days of damp, stygian gloom.
”
Ray (UK)says:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 8:22 am
Slightly different perspectives from the right and left press in the UK on the Saturday front pages
……………….
…………
Whereas Labour’s Wes Streeting thinks the Tories are trying to lose .. presumably because of how much crap is coming down the pike in the short term
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/sep/03/tories-planning-to-lose-next-general-election-labours-wes-streeting-says
”
I tend to agree. 🙂
”
Gollsays:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 8:35 am
The Morrison LNP government was simply arrogant, random, secretive, unattached and dishonest.
Morrison has had a history of of all of the above in a number of roles yet was allowed to gain the parliamentary leadership.
It is hard to imagine a substantial reinvention of the liberal party without a radical makeover and an eradication of the the current incumbents to enable the liberal party to be trusted with government anytime in the future.
There hasn’t been a day since the election without previously unknown and unannounced Morrison LNP shenanigans being exposed.
Just how incestuous had the MSM and the Morrison become?
Contrition, repentance, renewal from the MSM?
Bullocks!
”
This needs to be mentioned every day from now till next election.
”
Macca RBsays:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 7:32 am
AFL Footy Finals.
A great weekend of results.
All of the Melbourne clubs defeated.
Freo coming from way, way, way back to knock off Free Kick Footscray.
Go the Catters.
”
Nath
How is it fair that Collingwood AFL team gets 2 home games after finishing 4th and losing first semi-final?
Does a team which finished 2nd in group stages get 2 home finals even if they lose their first home final?
Rakali @ #1526 Sunday, September 4th, 2022 – 12:41 am
Only if we first ask the The Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland – all stolen from Norway – if they wish to stay under the boot of the neoliberal SNP in Glasgow 🙂
Shetland – where all the oil and gas is of course – doesn’t want a bar of an Independent Scotland
UK Cartoon catch up:
Finally Dave Brown after Francois Bonvin:
The original François Bonvin Still Life with Brass Kettle:
Wow…
”
Dog’s Brunchsays:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 8:50 am
Many thanks BK, wonderful as usual.
Comment in the Age article on school fees is on point, the money spent on fees would be very handy in retirement.
“ My kids fees went up around 6% year on year during their 7 years at a private school regardless of CPI. While I don’t begrudge their educational experience, now that I’m retiring, that $400k + ( I don’t have an exact figure cos I’m too scared to add it up) would be mighty handy right now.”
One parent said that the fees they paid amounted to driving a small BMW off a cliff each year.
”
One spent their retirement money on their children education.
And other drove a small BMW car off a cliff each year for their children education.
You poor thing, you sacrificed so much for your children instead of joining them in Public education.
That cartoon about the pub is funny 🙂
I’m worried the energy bill increases will decimate pubs, they’re closing fast enough as it is 🙁
Catching up from yesterday morning:
@imacca:
“ I think Attack class were going to have 6 torpedo tubes rather than Barracuda’s 4? I’d actually like to see that dropped and go with say 4 large VLS. Engineering wise i think that installing VLS as a “plug” may be easier and less risk than extra horizontal tubes. Probably increase the total weapons carried count more (4×7 missiles in the VLS for +28, or at lease 4×4 for +16??). From a production and risk perspective the closer our French SSN’s are to the config of the now at sea and tested Barracuda the better.”
I agree that if we contracted to Naval Group that the starting point for the first boats should be to keep them as close to the French boats now entering service as possible. Any modifications should not be ones that are likely to get in the way of production timelines.
As I understand thge reality of the situation, the French could lay down two hulls in Cherbourg between 2024 and 2027. However, they also have to juggle the production of their new SSBN – which is scheduled to cut the first steel next year, with a second boat being laid down in 2028.
The French have more local capacity than the Brits – who are in the middle of laying down four Dreadnaught class SSBN in a row at Barrow & hence wouldn’t be able to start building an Aussie SSN THERE until at least 2032.
The French have already pitched a conventional version of the Barracuda to Indian Navy back in 2016 with a VLS for a total heavy weapons (heavy torpedos and long range cruise missiles) payload of 34. That would be more than enough for our purposes. I’m not opposed to adapting the 6-8 torpedo tube modifications that were incorporated into teh Attack design, but again, witnb each option, production timelines of the first batch of 6 boats must not be compromised.
I’d suggest that a first block of 6 boats be laid down this decade – with very small modifications on the French barracuda (American weapons and combat systems, and probably some of its comms arrays). The first two laid down in Cherbourg (2204/5 and 2026), with four boats laid down in Adelaide in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2030/1. In addition to building the first two boats in Cherbourg, the French can built modules for assembly in Adelaide top help ease that shipyard into a timely production run. The next block of six boats would be laid down next decade, with all the VL mods that a decade of careful design can bring to maturity: the lead boats laid down in 2032 and 2034 in Cherbourg, with the remaining 4 boats being built in Adelaide once our block 1 boats are built.
@Cat:
“ I understand that the UK Defence Minister stated to Richard Marles that he may supply Australia with a completely new submarine. My best guess is that it would incorporate the AI and integrated computer functionality that was initially stated would be a function of the AUKUS program.”
God help us. A new ‘customer’ SSN. Designed by the Brits. 2060-70 here we come.
”
C@tmommasays:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 9:16 am
Could someone please tell the Liberal Party that you can’t get anything done unless you talk!?!
”
You can send emails, SMS and post on PB and Facebook. (ducking) 🙂
I’m worried the energy bill increases will decimate pubs, they’re closing fast enough as it is…
No problem if they’re wetherspoons from what I keep hearing…
The nsc is suposed to be top secrit leaking imformation to jernalists is not right how ever there was plenty leaks during the election to news corp to triy and discredit marles and labor on national security the top sby shearer needs to be looked at weather he can stay in his role given his former role as a staffer
Dr Doolittle says:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 9:20 am
Cat 9.02 am
Have you forgotten how badly Putin’s war in Ukraine is going for him, or how pathetically bad the US occupation of Iraq was?
In what circumstances would Russia lose control entirely of its Kaliningrad enclave? If they are stupid enough to start a war with NATO over the Baltic states. Very unlikely to happen.
_______________________________________________________
I hope you’re right Dr Doolittle. Putin would be insane to start a conflict with NATO, which is what attacking the Baltic states would do. Trouble is, dictators, and sometimes even democratic leaders, don’t always behave rationally, particularly when they’re surrounded by sycophantic advisers.
Of course, seeking protection against Russia under the NATO umbrella was why the Baltic states and other former Warsaw Pact countries joined NATO. It’s also why Ukraine wanted to join. What is now happening is not likely to convince any of these states that they made the wrong decision.
What annoys me about apologists for Putin, such as Noam Chomsky and John Pilger, is they accuse Ukraine of provoking Russia, simply because it wanted to join NATO, and now have nothing to say about the fact that Ukraine’s fears have been tragically justified.
”
BKsays:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 9:18 am
Cash, Taylor, Ley, etc have been badmouthing the summit while their Coalition partner David Littleproud has contributed constructively to it.
The Liberals are clearly nonplussed.
”
BK
You know that Little proud and Dutton belong to QLD LNP.
Mavis once commented that Littleproud should have become leader of Libs and Dutton should have been deputed to Nats. But it is other way round.
Dutton is Nationalising the Libs i.e. he is turning Libs to Nats and the Nats remain Nats. 🙂
Thanks BK. The Pascoe piece on the Governor General’s charity failing to get any media traction underlines one of the glaring problems with having a vice-regal head of state – untouchable because ‘sovereign immunity’. One is just not allowed to ‘go there’.
(https://thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2022/09/02/governor-generals-charity/)
I saw David Hurley for the first time on Friday night. He was wheeled out to present Zubin Mehta, Bombay born well renowned international conductor, with a long and close association with the Israel Philharmonic (they toured here some years ago), with an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). It was the occasion of the end of the Australian World Orchestra back home tour (a scratch orchestra made up of ex-pat Australians playing in overseas orchestras – so no low hanging fruit here, but crack players) conducted by Mehta. The Concert Hall was packed with a wildly enthusiastic audience, with a generous presence of India enthusiasts. It was good music, and heaps of fun, and the final work in the all Strauss programme was ‘A Hero’s Life’. Make of that what you will.
The whole shebang is the ongoing brain child of Alexander Briger, the nephew of of the very very great late Sir Charles Mackerras (quite a dynasty, the Mackerrasses), who conducted the Opening Concert of the Opera House, all those years ago.
Hurly’s a big man, with that upright military presence. The citation was given by one of the GG’s staff, while Hurly stood stiffly next to a small person holding a tasseled cushion on which the ribboned bauble sat. After the presentation, to huge acclaim, and the humbled Zubin Mehta’s reply, there was an awkward moment where Hurley, uncertain as to his stance, felt the need to leave the stage, and turning to his smaller attendant with the red cushion still on outstretched hands, gave dismissive flap of his hand to signal it was time to leave, and brushed him toward the stage door, the two making a hurried exit. I thought a gentle word might have sufficed.
“God help us. A new ‘customer’ SSN. Designed by the Brits. 2060-70 here we come.”
Amen. And, it would require the Brits new design reactor. Lets just not go there people. 🙁
Been following the reporting out of Ukraine. Yup, i think the Baltic (NATO) states really do have a lot of reason to invest in Ukraine. Putin pretty clearly got them on the agenda.
The long read.
From the Brookings Institution, a very American perspective on The World Putin Wants.
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russian-federation/world-putin-wants-fiona-hill-angela-stent?
”
Rex Douglassays:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 10:22 am
Wow…
”
Wow indeed!
What better can you expect from head of IPA.
Ven at 11:03 am
Don’t laugh, perhaps Planet Janet is correct and hapless hopeless Tim Smith is the pick of the bunch. 😆
”
ItzaDreamsays:
Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 11:02 am
The long read.
From the Brookings Institution, a very American perspective on The World Putin Wants.
Putin’s manipulations of history suggest that his claims go beyond Ukraine, into Europe and Eurasia. The Baltic states might be on his colonial agenda, as well as Poland, part of which was ruled by Russia from 1772 to 1918. Much of present-day Moldova was part of the Russian empire, and Russian officials have suggested that this state could be next in their sights. Finland was also part of the Russian empire between 1809 and 1918. Putin may not be able to conquer these countries, but his extravagant remarks about taking back Russia’s colonies are designed to intimidate his neighbors and throw them off balance. In Putin’s ideal world, he will gain leverage and control over their politics by threatening them until they let Russia dictate their foreign and domestic policies.
…………..
”
So when C@tmomma posted about Putin expansion @9:02 am she was reflecting on “a very American perspective on The World Putin Wants.”
Got it.
Sseems strange penny wong as foreign minister is basickly just dealing with the pacifick like east teamore andm arles is doing the major trips like europe and uk marles as defence minister will probaly be foreign minister afterin the future