News and Current Events

[ferball]

For his trouble he was paid 75K a month. IE $25 above the annual median wage in Australia ... every month.

 

[roopdog]

I think a lot of people went. I checked it out after reading your post and the first photo I saw I was looking at the people and then I see Andrews there and just burst out laughing.

But still, he's maybe 2 rows back from Xi jinping, Putin and Kim jong un. Its essentially a show of support.
That's mad.

 

[Val Keating]

But still, he's maybe 2 rows back from Xi jinping, Putin and Kim jong un. Its essentially a show of support.
That's mad.

Yeah its ****ing insane. It’ll be interesting to see how the anti Putin pro Dan types spin it.

 

[DesertRoo]

Yeah its ****ing insane. It’ll be interesting to see how the anti Putin pro Dan types spin it.

It’s disgraceful.. this is the most dangerous geostrategic circumstances Australia has faced since the Second World War and he’s hanging with all of ‘em XI, Putin, Kim, Lukashensko, Pezeshkian.

 

[Val Keating]

It’s disgraceful.. this is the most dangerous geostrategic circumstances Australia has faced since the Second World War and he’s hanging with all of ‘em XI, Putin, Kim, Lukashensko, Pezeshkian.

That’s why l found it so funny, the media “The worst dictators on the planet are meeting…oh no, this is terrible… the likes of XI, Putin, Kim, Lukashensko, Pezeshkian and Dan Andrews… who has been labeled dictator Dan by his haters.

I genuinely want it to be a troll. It’s that funny

 

[Chadwiko]

Yeah its ****ing insane. It’ll be interesting to see how the anti Putin pro Dan types spin it.

Hi!

Anti-Putin/Pro-Dan type here.

I think Dan Andrews attending the Chinese Victory Day Parade was probably not the smartest decision he's ever made.

However I also don't think it's anywhere near as bad as some of the hyperbole around it has been. The Herald Sun's photo caption here is particularly hilarious...

"Let's list some of the worst atrocities ever committed in this graphic; Xianjiang Genocide? CHECK! Assassinations? Check! Ukraine invasion? Check! Suburban Rail Link? CHECK!"





But I understand the point being that Dan Andrews being at the same event with Putin, Jong-Un, Lukashenko etc is a bad look. And I agree! However for my money, that's more a poor reflection on China than on Dan Andrews.

China is (rightfully) trying to position themselves to be the dominant power of the 21st century. And I think they can get there and achieve that. But they need to stop being so eager for international legitimacy that they accept (and normalise!) close strategic partnerships with the likes of North Korea and Russia. If Trump wasn't the President at the moment, I don't think China would be legitimatising these countries the way they are now. We're living in an increasingly polarised world, and Trump is making it worse, not better.

As for Dan Andrews? Well... there's absolutely nothing inherently wrong with an Australian diplomat/former politician working in the China-Australia relationship sphere. And that's what Andrews was likely doing in China; he's formed a business with his former advisor Marty Mei that is focused on encouraging Chinese investment in Victoria. It's sort of a lobbying position without any actual political lobbying. You can read a bit about it in this 2024 AFR article.

So tldr? Not a great look for Andrews, but also not the terrible scandal some conservatives seem to want to make it.

 

[Chadwiko]

I am curious to hear how the Anti-Dan/Pro-Putin guys spin this as bad, though. I can't quite follow that logic.

 

[DesertRoo]

In Feb this year China navy had live fire drills in the Tasman sea inbetween Australia and NZ.

Apologist above, yeah it’s not so bad of a former state leader goes to their military parade, in fact in reflects more poorly on China..

The same guy run backwards and forwards as premier with closed door meetings, with no press allowed. Signed the belt rd agreement. Yeah it’s perfectly normal.

 

[Chadwiko]

In Feb this year China navy had live fire drills in the Tasman sea inbetween Australia and NZ.

So?

Australia regularly conducts Naval exercises in the South China Sea, including just this week;

Australia, Canada, Philippine ships hold drills in tense South China Sea

Manila says exercise with Australia, Canada shows a 'commitment' to defence cooperation with 'like-minded nations'.

www.aljazeera.com

Apologist above, yeah it’s not so bad of a former state leader goes to their military parade, in fact in reflects more poorly on China..

Yes. China isn't the big scary boogey man you seem to want to make them out to be.

 

[DesertRoo]

So?

Australia regularly conducts Naval exercises in the South China Sea, including just this week;

Australia, Canada, Philippine ships hold drills in tense South China Sea

Manila says exercise with Australia, Canada shows a 'commitment' to defence cooperation with 'like-minded nations'.

www.aljazeera.com

Yes. China isn't the big scary boogey man you seem to want to make them out to be.

You’re right, Albo should invite Xi and Putin to sit next to him during the next Anzac Day parade.

 

[Disco Dew]

Yeah its ****ing insane. It’ll be interesting to see how the anti Putin pro Dan types spin it.

I like it.
That’s my dictator. Maybe we’ve been wrong about Putin all along…

 

[Chadwiko]

You’re right, Albo should invite Xi and Putin to sit next to him during the next Anzac Day parade.

Putin? No. He has an arrest warrant out from the International Criminal Court and as a party to that court, Australia would be obliged to arrest him.

Xi? Sure. He's the leader of Australia's largest trade partner. Having good relations with China is in Australia's best interests.

 

[giantroo]

Why would Daniel Andrews taint his legacy by posing alongside dictators?

Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews posed for a class photo alongside Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping in China. The question on everyone's mind is why?

www.abc.net.au

"It is good for Victoria that Daniel Andrews is held in such high regard by the people of China," Jacinta Allan said in a statement.

"Victoria is an old friend of China and these connections are so valuable for our state."

 

[DesertRoo]

Putin? No. He has an arrest warrant out from the International Criminal Court and as a party to that court, Australia would be obliged to arrest him.

Xi? Sure. He's the leader of Australia's largest trade partner. Having good relations with China is in Australia's best interests.

lol would be seriously entertaining watching the faces on Australian defence force marching past and their top brass having to greet Xi, knowing the current build up of PLA.

 

[Chadwiko]

lol would be seriously entertaining watching the faces on Australian defence force marching past and their top brass having to greet Xi, knowing the current build up of PLA.

You seem genuinely afraid of China.

Why?

 

[koshari]

I thought that was fake when I first saw it.

the grainy zoomed in definately looks like it was shopped,

i know he is retired and can do what he wants but really would be interesting to get an idea of his thinking here, i mean it probobly would be an interesting experiance and he likely isnt putting a dime towards it so i theres a lot or reasons why you would i guess.

I dont really know what this turnout is actually about , seems there is more coverage on dan attending than actually what its about?

Shame Abbott never went as h mat have had his opportunity to shirtfront Putin finally.

 

[DesertRoo]

You seem genuinely afraid of China.

Why?

yes, the ccp is a malevolent force in the world, do you disagree?

 

[Chadwiko]

I dont really know what this turnout is actually about , seems there is more coverage on dan attending than actually what its about?

Chinese Victory Day Parade. Their annual holiday to celebrate the end of World War II.

This year is the 80th anniversary.

 

[Chadwiko]

yes, the ccp is a malevolent force in the world, do you disagree?

Malevolent? No, I don't agree.

Malevolence means literal evil, and I don't think China is evil.

Now before you attempt to twist my words; there's pleeeeeeeeeenty I think China deserves condemnation for. Xianjiang Genocide, Tibet, Hong Kong authoritarianism, etc. China is far from a perfect actor on the global stage.

But... they're also not some "malevolent" bad guy that represents a threat to Australia and the world.

China wants to be the dominant global power of the 21st century. They want the 21st century to be 'the Chinese century'. And they're already winning in this regard without ever having to fire a single shot in conflict.

Their ever-increasing soft-power and influence is trending massively in the right direction and is lifting hundreds of millions of Chinese out of poverty. Chinese industries are leading the world in many fields, and the next decade is going to see an explosion in this regard as well.

This is largely (but not solely) possible because the United States went from being a responsible super power with genuine global reach, to an increasingly xenophobic and isolationist state. Want an example? You know how one of the first things Trump and 'DOGE' did was cancel a bunch of USAID programs and foreign aid policies? Guess who is picking up that slack, especially in the South Pacific and Africa? China. The Belt and Road initiative was foreign policy genius for a country in the position China wants to be in, and it's working.

And here's the rub; the more China becomes involved with the rest of the world, the more the rest of the world starts influencing China. China is now more open and "free" than it has ever been. Day-to-day life for most Chinese citizens now isn't vastly different from what you'd see in non-communist countries. Don't get me wrong; they still have a long way to go. But it's all a step in the right direction.

If you think China is literally "malevolent", then I hope you don't use or purchase any products that China produces. I hope you're not using an iPhone or an Android phone, or driving basically any car that was manufactured in the last 10 years, or own any appliances like washing machines, televisions, microwaves, and so on.

 

[DesertRoo]

Why would Daniel Andrews taint his legacy by posing alongside dictators?

Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews posed for a class photo alongside Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping in China. The question on everyone's mind is why?

www.abc.net.au

"It is good for Victoria that Daniel Andrews is held in such high regard by the people of China," Jacinta Allan said in a statement.

"Victoria is an old friend of China and these connections are so valuable for our state."


View attachment 2416254

Maybe we could put Andrews up as the ambassador to Nth Korea, he’d be great at leading a trade mission there too..

 

[DesertRoo]

Malevolent? No, I don't agree.

Malevolence means literal evil, and I don't think China is evil.

Now before you attempt to twist my words; there's pleeeeeeeeeenty I think China deserves condemnation for. Xianjiang Genocide, Tibet, Hong Kong authoritarianism, etc. China is far from a perfect actor on the global stage.

But... they're also not some "malevolent" bad guy that represents a threat to Australia and the world.

China wants to be the dominant global power of the 21st century. They want the 21st century to be 'the Chinese century'. And they're already winning in this regard without ever having to fire a single shot in conflict.

Their ever-increasing soft-power and influence is trending massively in the right direction and is lifting hundreds of millions of Chinese out of poverty. Chinese industries are leading the world in many fields, and the next decade is going to see an explosion in this regard as well.

This is largely (but not solely) possible because the United States went from being a responsible super power with genuine global reach, to an increasingly xenophobic and isolationist state. Want an example? You know how one of the first things Trump and 'DOGE' did was cancel a bunch of USAID programs and foreign aid policies? Guess who is picking up that slack, especially in the South Pacific and Africa? China. The Belt and Road initiative was foreign policy genius for a country in the position China wants to be in, and it's working.

And here's the rub; the more China becomes involved with the rest of the world, the more the rest of the world starts influencing China. China is now more open and "free" than it has ever been. Day-to-day life for most Chinese citizens now isn't vastly different from what you'd see in non-communist countries. Don't get me wrong; they still have a long way to go. But it's all a step in the right direction.

If you think China is literally "malevolent", then I hope you don't use or purchase any products that China produces. I hope you're not using an iPhone or an Android phone, or driving basically any car that was manufactured in the last 10 years, or own any appliances like washing machines, televisions, microwaves, and so on.

give it two years..

Also funny how I’ve long pointed out for time how ****ed the system is when multinational use Chinese slave labor to increase profits at the expense of local workers. This is exactly what’s wrong with the world.

and this is something you now seem to be cheering on?

Paper over the human rights abuses, As long as Chad gets cheap stuff hey..

 

[Chadwiko]

give it two years..

Give what two years?

Also funny how I’ve long pointed out for time how ****ed the system is when multinational use Chinese slave labor to increase profits at the expense of local workers. This is exactly what’s wrong with the world.

and this is something you now seem to be cheering on?

Paper over the human rights abuses, As long as Chad gets cheap stuff hey..

So...you're saying you don't use a smart phone or any products that are manufactured in China? I'm confused.

I mean, China has the world's 2nd largest economy and they're the manufacturing hub of the world. I'd be impressed if you, the principled and serious man that you are, were genuinely boycotting any and all Chinese products because you think they're literally evil.

 

[DesertRoo]

Give what two years?



So...you're saying you don't use a smart phone or any products that are manufactured in China? I'm confused.

I mean, China has the world's 2nd largest economy and they're the manufacturing hub of the world. I'd be impressed if you, the principled and serious man that you are, were genuinely boycotting any and all Chinese products because you think they're literally evil.

View attachment 2416382

The profits margins on iPhones are massive, they could easily be made in the US, and still keep the same price, yet because of the system we currently live in, institutional investors would rather use slave labor in China to make profit.
They literally have to dragged kicking and screaming to make the products in the US.

 

[Chadwiko]

The profits margins on iPhones are massive, they could easily be made in the US, and still keep the same price, yet because of the system we currently live in, institutional investors would rather use slave labor in China to make profit.
They literally have to dragged kicking and screaming to make the products in the US.

Well, first of all... that's not what I asked at all and it seems like you're dodging the question.

Secondly... you're wrong. There's no where in the United States making the components required for smartphones, and the profit margin on iPhones is not "massive".

A bit of reading for you;

 

[DesertRoo]

Well, first of all... that's not what I asked at all and it seems like you're dodging the question.

Secondly... you're wrong. There's no where in the United States making the components required for smartphones, and the profit margin on iPhones is not "massive".

A bit of reading for you;

View attachment 2416393

If you brought the components from digikey they might cost that much..

They’d be paying cents on the dollar for components.