Archival Tape --Putin: [Russian]

“ I’ll start from my appeal which I gave on 21 february this year. This is what gave us unparalleled concern and anxiety.”

RUBY:

Just before 6 oclock in the morning on Thursday, Moscow time, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin addressed the world, live on Russian television, announcing he had ordered soldiers to carry out military operations in eastern Ukraine.

Archival Tape --Putin [translated]:

“I've taken the decision to conduct a special military operation. Its purpose is to protect people who have been subject to abuse and genocide…”

RUBY:

The announcement followed days of escalating skirmishes in Ukraine, with reports of shelling from both Ukrainian and Russian forces.

Archival Tape – Putin [translated]:

“We simply don't have any other choice to protect our people and will have to use the only available choice that we will use today.”

RUBY:

Putin vowed to “end the nightmare” of war in the Donbas region, where conflict between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces has simmered for years.

Archival Tape – Putin [translated]:

“The circumstances require immediate, resolute action. People's republics of the Donbas have requested assistance from Russia.”

RUBY:

Putin said that Russia sought the “demilitarization” and “de-Nazification” of Ukraine, referring to the Kremlin’s view that Ukraine’s military is a threat to Russia and that it is run by neo-Nazis.

Archival Tape – Putin [translated]:

“Leading NATO countries have supported extreme nationalists and neo-Nazi pursuing their goals.”

RUBY:

In his speech Putin warned that if other countries attempt to interfere, it would lead to “consequences as you have never before experienced in your history.”

Archival Tape – Putin [translated]:

“For those who may be tempted to interfere in the events taking place from the outside, whoever tries to interfere with us let alone create threats for our country, for our nation must know that Russia’s response will be immediate.”

RUBY:

While Putin was delivering his address, The UN Security Council was holding an emergency meeting on the crisis.

Archival Tape – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres:

“Today was full of rumours and indications that an offensive against Ukraine was imminent.

RUBY:

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres made an impassioned plea to President Putin asking the Russian leader to “give peace a chance”.

Archival Tape – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres:

“I have only one thing to say from the bottom of my heart, President Putin, stop your troops from attacking Ukraine. Give peace a chance. Too many people have already died.”

RUBY:

Shortly after Putin’s speech, explosions were reported in multiple cities across Ukraine.

Archival Tape – CNN reporter:

“Oh, I tell you what. I just heard a big bang right here behind me. I told you we shouldn't have done a live shot here. There are big explosions taking place in Kyiv right now.”

RUBY:

In response, the US President Joe Biden issued a statement, saying that “President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.”

He went on to say that he would work with NATO to coordinate a response, but he emphasised the U.S. will not be sending American troops to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said that Russia had launched a “full scale invasion” and they described the situation as “a new geopolitical reality in the world”.

We’ll have more reporting and analysis of the situation in Ukraine next week on 7am.

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RUBY:

From Schwartz Media, I’m Ruby Jones, this is 7am.

Just months away from a looming federal election the Prime Minister Scott Morrison is facing one of the biggest challenges of his term - global military conflict.

The federal government’s increasingly aggressive stance towards both Russia and China has put the spotlight on Australia’s defence policy, and how prepared we are for a potential war.

Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on how equipped Scott Morrison is to handle escalating tensions both in Ukraine… and in the Pacific.

It’s Friday, February 25.

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RUBY:

Paul, let's start with the big global news this week, the escalating crisis in Ukraine. How is the Australian government engaging with the issue?

PAUL:

Well, Ruby, the Australian government has closely followed the United States on this issue, as it does on most matters of international affairs.

Archival Tape – Prime Minister Scott Morrison:

“ As President Biden has also remarked, this invasion is unjustified, it's unwarranted, it's unprovoked and it's unacceptable.”

PAUL:

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison criticised Russia's attitude towards Ukraine as autocratic and unilateral. He went on later to describe Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, as a bully and a thug towards his smaller neighbour.

Archival Tape – Prime Minister Scott Morrison:

“We can't have some suggestion that Russia has some just case here that they're prosecuting, they're behaving like thugs and bullies.”

PAUL:

On Wednesday night, Morrison announced he would be following other Western nations in placing sanctions on Russia.

Archival Tape --Prime Minister Scott Morrison:

“Our government continues to coordinate closely with the United States, UK and European Union and other governments, to ensure there are severe costs to Russia's aggression.”

PAUL:

Specifically, he said, travel bans and financial sanctions would be imposed on eight members of Russia's National Security Council. The Prime Minister also said it's likely Australia would put further sanctions on Russia if the country continues to escalate its military activities.

Archival Tape – Prime Minister Scott Morrison:

“The Australian Government will immediately begin placing sanctions on Russian individuals in response to the aggression by Russia against Ukraine.”

PAUL:

But the Home Affairs Minister, Karen Andrews, warned that by engaging in the crisis in this way, Australia might well become a target for Russian cyber attacks aimed at our critical infrastructure.

So it's a clear indication of just how high the stakes are right now, even for a country like ours physically far removed from the battleground.

RUBY:

Hmm. But even in our region, Paul, things are getting more tense. There were these reports of brief hostilities between the Australian and the Chinese military. So can you tell me about that?

PAUL:

Well, the Australian Defence Department last Thursday said a Chinese naval vessel within Australia's exclusive economic zone directed a laser at an Australian military aircraft.

Archival Tape – 7 News reporter:

“More now on our breaking news this morning - the Australian Defence Force is calling China out. Condemning Beijing for a laser attack on an airforce plane with ten personnel on board.”

Archival Tape – 9 News reporter:

“Prime Minister Scott Morrison had asked Beijing for a ‘please explain’ describing the incident as intimidation and said Australian lives could have been at risk. In turn Alex, the Chinese government accused Australia of maliciously spreading disinformation.”

PAUL:

Now, it's not exactly clear what kind of laser was used or why, but there's speculation it was a laser range finder used to measure the distance between objects.

Nevertheless, our government catastrophized the alleged incident, ensuring it dominated the headlines over the weekend. The Chinese government accused Australia of maliciously spreading information and said the Chinese ship was complying with international law.

Archival Tape – Beijing spokesperson [translated]:

“According to what we have checked and verified with the relevant department on the Chinese side, the information released by the Australian side is untrue, and the normal navigation of Chinese vessels on the high seas is in line with relevant international law and international practise and completely legal and legitimate.”

PAUL:

But Ruby, whatever happened the episode, along with the crisis in Ukraine, has put the spotlight on Australia's military preparedness, and it led to some intense exchanges at a Senate estimates inquiry last Friday.

Archival Tape – Senator Rex Patrick:

“Please don't try and snow-job us ok?”

Archival Tape – Senates estimates Committee Board:

“That report clearly stated…”

Archival Tape – Senator Rex Patrick:

“I looked back at what you've told this committee in June last year, that there were no weight problems”

RUBY:

So what happened in Senate estimates, Paul?

PAUL:

Well, the South Australian Independent Senator Rex Patrick, himself a former submariner, used the hearings to ask how, despite billions more dollars being spent on defence, we're left with strike fighters that can't fly, new helicopters scrapped because they couldn't be used in combat, and frigates behind schedule with major design problems and no new submarines till 2040.

Archival Tape – Senator Rex Patrick:

“That report says that is not correct. That tells me you lied to this committee.”

Archival Tape – Senates estimates Committee Chair:

“Senator Patrick…”

Archival Tape – Senator Rex Patrick:

“No, I'm happy to-…I'm happy to ground what I've said here.”

Archival Tape – Senates estimates Committee Chair:

“Senator Patrick, Senator Patrick, order! Order, Senator Patrick, I know TV cameras are in here…”

Archival Tape – Senator Rex Patrick:

“It’s not about TV cameras. This is a very serious issue, Chair. Very serious issue.”

PAUL:

He says the alleged laser incident demonstrates how vulnerable we are now that China is forward. At the Senate committee, officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said that the situation in the region between China and Taiwan was very serious.

Archival Tape – Deputy Secretary Justin Hayhurst:

“In category terms, it's not significantly different. It was serious then. It remains serious now, and we're watching it with concern.”

PAUL:

Deputy Secretary Justin Hayhurst said the public positioning of the Chinese government is hardening and in ways that suggest the dialogue has limited prospects for success.

Archival Tape – Deputy Secretary Justin Hayhurst:

“The People’s Republic of China is very clearly hardening. At the same time, in Taiwan people want to choose their own destiny…”

PAUL:

Well, Senator Patrick says that leaves him very concerned at our botched defence procurements. He said it's all on this government's watch and leaves our servicemen and women without the right tools, should they be sent in harm's way.

And Ruby, when it comes to China, you'd have to say the Morrison/Joyce government is more interested in using inflammatory language for base domestic political purposes rather than engaging in serious repair of the relationship.

RUBY:

We’ll be back in a moment.

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RUBY:

Paul, how is Scott Morrison responding to what his own government officials describe as a very serious situation with China?

Archival Tape – Prime Minister Scott Morrison:

“I’ve been going for 20 seconds - I don’t think preciousness is a point of order.”

PAUL:

Well Ruby, Scott Morrison spent most of the two sitting weeks of the parliament throwing hand grenades at Labor for being weak on China.

Archival Tape – Prime Minister Scott Morrison:

“And Labor just cannot be trusted on these things. They're soft and weak.”

PAUL:

He also proclaimed that he was no appeaser, a loaded implication that Labor is.

Archival Tape – Prime Minister Scott Morrison:

“This is the problem with labour. They always look to appease, whereas we're in a very uncertain and challenging world and there's no time for weakness.”

PAUL:

You know, it is desperate politics and it could have serious ramifications given China happens to be the linchpin of our economic prosperity.

And our continuing economic enmeshment with China is reason enough to expect more from our government than belligerent language and fist waving. Labor's Penny Wong says rather than talking up the drums of war, the adult and responsible thing to do is to make more diplomatic effort in seeking a peaceful resolution across the Taiwan Straits.

But Ruby, there was some evidence this week that Australian voters aren't as gullible as the Prime Minister thinks they are.

RUBY:

Right. So what do we know about how Australians feel about the situation with China, Paul?

PAUL:

Well, in the latest Guardian essential poll, Labour has a strong lead over the Liberals as the party better placed to build a relationship with China that's in Australia's interests. Essentials pollster Peter Lewis says his survey found a majority of voters see China as a complex issue to be managed rather than a threat to be confronted.
And that seems to suggest that the government's talk of war with China and stirring of anti-China sentiment is failing to hit the mark. Peter Lewis says the clear majority of Australians support a position which is the polar opposite to the government's current tubthumping.

RUBY:

Some of the attacks on Labor have been pretty inflammatory. Paul, I'm thinking here about the accusation that one MP, Richard Marles, was a Manchurian candidate, a secret agent for China. So how is Labour responding?

PAUL:

Ruby, The advice Labour's getting from its own pollster is to dismiss Morrison's overblown attacks as another desperate distraction from his own failings, which is exactly what Penny Wong did in an interview on R in Breakfast this week.

Archival Tape – Penny Wong:

“He's saying these things because he is desperate to ensure he has wins of political, some political point scoring.”

PAUL:

But there is a debate within labour about whether ignoring them is the right strategy or to attack the government over the huge gap between its language and delivery on national security. And that's what we saw Rex Patrick do in Senate estimates.

Of course, this speaks to the opposition's broader debate over strategy heading into the election. Anthony Albanese is very keen to run on his chosen issues principally cost of living, pandemic management, aged care failures, government competence and integrity, and not be dragged into fights designed by the government to distract from its failures and to blow up labour.

Hmm. Ruby I’d have to say election campaigns, and I've seen quite a few of them are never pretty sites and this one is down there with the ugliest. It's certainly doing nothing to advance national unity and cohesion.

RUBY:

Paul, thank you so much for your time.

PAUL:

Thank you, Ruby, bye.

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RUBY:

Also in the news today…

Mining billionaire and United Australia Party founder Clive Palmer has been taken to hospital by ambulance with “COVID-like symptoms”. His hospital admission comes a day after his spokesperson said he had tested negative for the virus. Palmer has been vocal in his opposition to Covid-19 vaccines and other public health measures.
And Australian shares plunged by more than 3 per cent yesterday, and are on track for their worst fall in at least 18 months, following the escalating military crisis in Ukraine. Industrials and mining companies led the losses, as iron ore prices slumped over concerns regarding demand in China.

7am is a daily show from The Monthly and The Saturday Paper. It’s produced by Elle Marsh, Kara Jensen-Mackinnon, Anu Hasbold and Alex Gow.

Our senior producer is Ruby Schwartz and our technical producer is Atticus Bastow.

Brian Campeau mixes the show. Our editor is Osman Faruqi. Erik Jensen is our editor-in-chief.

Our theme music is by Ned Beckley and Josh Hogan of Envelope Audio.

I’m Ruby Jones, see you next week.

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