Page 41 - Tropic Magazine Issue 20

TROPIC • PACIFIC REPORT

Geo-political
gains

SPECIAL REPORT

How the Cairns region can take
advantage of Australia’s pursuit
for Pacific influence.

Words Renee Cluff 1
Cairns could play a major role in South-East Asian and Pacific countries warning times of future conflict the north
Australia’s Pacific policy pivot aimed at have never been more important to of Australia will increasingly become
countering China’s growing influence Australia’s national security and north either Australia’s forward operating base,
in the region. That’s the view of local Queensland is already our connecting or its lily pad to another forward location
leaders and defence analysts keen to point to the region.” within the Pacific.”
see our city benefit from the Federal JUST HOW SERIOUS IS THE THE ‘PIVOT’ IN ACTION IN TNQ
Government’s new strategic focus.
From increasing aid programs to SECURITY SITUATION? In a defence sense, Dr John Coyne is
calling on the Federal Government to help
strengthening defence capabilities, local If the warnings from academics are
industries such as maritime, education, anything to go by, it’s pretty serious. increase industry capacity in northern
construction, manufacturing and health In the past few months, a report from Australia to support an increased defence
could all benefit. Sydney University’s US Studies Centre presence. “Defence needs industry and
called on Australia to divert its military prosperous communities to succeed,” he
A BIT OF BACKGROUND told Tropic. “The industry base needs to be
For the past few years, China has been able to provide a permanent and scalable
been flexing its muscle in the Pacific replenishment and depot repair capacity.”
through foreign aid. Australia remains Federal Member for Leichhardt, Warren
the region’s biggest donor but China Northern Australia needs Entsch, told Tropic that Canberra is
has been spending up big, particularly to be reconceptualised as already working on it. “This is the concept
on infrastructure projects including a of the Cairns Marine Precinct, it’s exactly
360 metre wharf in Vanuatu and a roads a defence and national built for this purpose,” he said. “And we
project in Papua New Guinea. But while now have the Pacific’s largest mobile
Australia gives its aid through grants with security ‘ecosystem’ to boat hoist at BSE Slipways.” 21 Guardian
no obligation for repayment, most of deal with future conflict Class Patrol Boats currently being rolled
China’s spending is in the form out to Pacific Island nations will soon be
of loans which the tiny nations must Dr John Coyne serviced in Cairns, along with Australian
pay back. and US defence vessels. Mr Entsch said
Experts call it ‘debt-trap’ diplomacy, the Federal Government is also upgrading
accusing China of being a loan shark resources from the Middle East to boost the Scherger RAAF base on Cape York
by getting countries to take on debts capabilities in the Indo-Pacific, warning so it can handle the new F-35 joint strike
they can’t pay back and then using its that the US military is no longer the fighter jets. Further afield, work will
newfound powerful position for political primary force in Asia and could struggle to soon begin on the redevelopment of the
leverage. An example of this came to defend its allies against China. dilapidated Lombrum joint naval base
the fore this year with reports China Around the same time, the ASPI argued on Manus Island in PNG, the result of an
is planning to build a military base in for the need to reconceptualise Northern Australian-US partnership.
Cambodia. The largest aid donor, investor Australia as a defence and national
and creditor in Cambodia happens to security ‘ecosystem’ to deal with future CAIRNS PACIFIC HUB
be – you guessed it - China. “You’ve got conflict. ASPI’s John Coyne said the Australia’s also bumped up Pacific Islands
a very assertive China trying to claim its US-China trade war has added to the aid to a record $1.3 billion and increased
rights over the South China Sea and using growing tension. “The rules of the road infrastructure investment to $3 billion.
that to apply soft power, or influencing have changed and there’s greater chances Canberra’s promised to bring electricity
power in the region,” Dr John Coyne from of misunderstanding and that means to 70% of Papua New Guinea’s population
the Australian Strategic Policy Institute greater chances of conflict,” he said. “It is within 11 years and has elbowed Chinese
(ASPI) told Tropic. “Our relationships with likely that with the significantly reduced telco Huawei out of a deal to build an

41 • tropicnow.com.au