The backlash over Nine Entertainment’s “Reds Under the Beds” campaign continues as they defend their stories by pointing to “panel of experts”. Who are these experts?
Most of them are connected to the pro-war think tank ASPI (Australian Strategic Policy Institute) which is funded by the government and global arms manufacturers – in other words, the SMH and Age “Red Alert” campaign is supported by confirmation bias of the most dangerous kind, the kind which takes countries to war.
Starting with Peter Jennings. In the Murdoch press today pushing the same fear-mongering line, Jennings is the former Executive Director and now a Senior Fellow of Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and a well known China hawk. He has a long record of public service roles in and around the Defence Department. As far as we can see from his extensive resume, the closest he appears to have been to China was being responsible for “developing a policy for the stabilisation operation in East Timor in 1999” – some 10,000km away from Beijing.
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Then there is Lavina Lee. ASPI ties again, Lee is a senior lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Macquarie University and an ASPI council member. An impressive resume of public policy work but not much in-depth on China.
Lesley Seebeck completes the trio of panelists directly related to ASPI. She is described as an “ASPI Strategist”. Her LinkedIn profile lists a total of 13 roles, including a stint on the Naval Shipbuilding Advisory Board, but nothing which indicates expertise on China or its military.
ASPI describes itself as “an independent, non-partisan think tank that produces expert and timely advice for Australia’s strategic and defence leaders”. It gets its primary funding from the Australian Defence Department (ADF) and other government agencies.
It also receives funding from the US State and US Defence Departments, as well as significant private backing from the weapons industry, including Lockheed Martin, Naval Group Australia, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Thales Australia.
Red Alert? Follow the money instead: ASPI is a front for US propaganda
Also on Nine’s warmonger panel is Mick Ryan, a retired major general who served in the ADF for more than 35 years and was commander of the Australia Defence College. in the latter role he has been an occasional guest lecturer for, you know who, ASPI. He is the author of “War Transformed, the Future of Twenty-First-Century Great Power Competition and Conflict,” which provides insights for those involved in the design of military strategy, and the forces that must execute that strategy”.
Finally, there is Alan Finkel, best known for the “Finkel Review,” which dealt with Australia’s energy supply and the impacts of climate change. Well respected and with a diverse career in science and public service, Finkel’s Wikipedia entry is impressive, but again, nary a mention of any particular expertise on China, or warfare for that matter. His only ASPI connection was a seminar back in 2017 on “The challenge of energy resilience in Australia.”
So there we have it, the panel of “China experts” and their backers, who the editors and journalist are using to legitimise their calls for the inevitability of war with China; including the suggestion of nuclear armament with the help of the US and hinting at the need for reintroducing conscription. It is not just a scam, but a serious threat to Australia to have this level of dangerously biased reporting peddled in our mainstream media.
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Kim Wingerei is a businessman turned writer and commentator. He is passionate about free speech, human rights, democracy and the politics of change. Originally from Norway, Kim has lived in Australia for 30 years. Author of ‘Why Democracy is Broken – A Blueprint for Change’.