Contributed by Jim Hayes

Scott Morrison is taking all the advantage he can, to use the conflict in Ukraine to Turn Australia into a resource, mainly for the United States military industry, and step up Australia’s role as Washington’s foreign affairs patsy.

He hopes to use this to divert attention from his and his government’s failings, by manufacturing a false security crisis to create fear and xenophobia and positioning his government as the only option to defend Australia’s national security. This he hopes, will enable him to stay on as prime minister.

In yesterday’s foreign policy speech, he took off with the theme that in a world where autocracy is challenging his view of the democratic world, events in Ukraine are wakeup call to ramp up the military response. He named Russia and China as the enemy. But it was China that got the most attention.

Morrison’s speech was designed to confirm his government’s intention to spend $10 billion on the Collins class nuclear submarines, as part of the AUKUS pact with the United States and Great Britain. There is also the plan to build a new base in Brisbane or Newcastle, to facilitate the presence of nuclear submarines directly operated by the other two ASUKUS partners.

It is this second part, which underlines the real purpose. Australia is to be more deeply integrated into a global military system commanded from Washington, with London as a tag along, and Australia as the obedient servant. And Australia is being persuaded to shoulder a bigger part of the cost of AUKUS.

This is not about the defence of Australia. It is about being part of a machine for conquest of other parts of the world.

The submarines are not designed for defence but for assisting the United States to threaten or attack in other parts of the world, for the purpose of cementing control over the oceans and shipping lanes as its own territory, which in turn, would provide a weapon to blackmail other nations into going along with American policies and economic submission.

The United Kingdom, at least the dominant Fleet Street investors, have become quite integrated into the American economy. There is also the dream of recapturing a lost empire. Once upon a time it was the British who ruled the seas. Now diminished, the once dominant power must partner up to realise the dream of a comeback.

But what about Australia? Our sovereignty continues to be compromised to fit the interests of others, and Scott Morrison is the main agent of this today.

Australia retains the British monarch as head of state, showing there is still some way to go before maturing into a fully independent nation. But far more important is that a major part of our economy is owned by financiers in Wall and Fleet streets. They have power to influence government and the ability to bankroll our political parties. Rupert Murdoch’s media monopoly strengthens this pernicious influence over Australia.

Releases of secret cables of the US embassy in Canberra by WikiLeaks a few years ago revealed how would be party leaders and prime ministers put forward their credentials to win American support, even before consulting their own parties.

Scott Morrison is one of them, and he is showing he is prepared to go further to betray Australia for his own gain.

It’s a bit rich calling out others for lack of transparency and autocratic. If there are two words that sum up the Morrison style of government, these fit the bill well.

This subservient relationship with the United States harms Australia. It distorts our priorities, which should involve working towards fairer society. The government should concentrate on the well-being of the population. Imagine if the $10 billion spent on the submarines was used to improve government services instead paying for a war machine. Imagine Australia working for more cooperation between nations as equals, instead of being a cheer leader for superpower supremacy.

Australia’s priorities have been turned upside down and Scott Morrison wants to make it even worse. We don’t need him.