90 — AUKUS malorkus

We have a lot to say about submarines. Also, shutting down public transport to stop a protest: Sensible tactic to calm things down or bad idea that'll just make things worse? If only I were writing this several days in the future and could see what would happen on Monday and Tuesday.

 

Three large sons

• Australia has entered a new military pact with the US & UK to build a couple of new submarines. It’s pronounced “Orcus”.
• We wasted billions of dollars on the Collins class Submarines.
• No one remembers Scott Morrison’s name.
• Scott Morrison called French President Macron the night before the contract was announced. They’re pissed now.
• France is a major provider of military contracts in Australia.
• Nationals MP Matt Canavan is already trying to pivot this into a push for nuclear power.
• The move has also pissed off Indonesia, who canceled a planned visit between President Widodo and Scott Morrison.
• Australia’s very clever defense policy.
• Greens leader Adam Bandt called the submarines “floating Chernobyls”.
• Correction: Lang states that Matt Damon was in Pearl Harbor. This is a common mistake; he was thinking of Jon Voight.

Top of the cops

• Police shut down Melbourne’s public transport to put a damper on anti-lockdown protests.
• The protests still happened.
• Construction workers also protested the shutting down of tea rooms.
• The University sector has lost 40,000 jobs since the pandemic started.

Shoutouts

• Shoutouts to Joel Fitzgibbon, who is not recontesting the next election in Hunter, but has been highly effective at saying the quiet part loud.