Does Australia protect its citizens?

Not if they are detained by China on espionage charges.

Dr Yang, a writer, pro-democracy activist and former Chinese diplomat, was detained in January and held for months without access to his lawyer or family. Yesterday , we learned he had been charged with spying. No proof has been given by China to support the allegation.

The Acting Prime-Minister, Michael McCormack, did not think that it was for him to say that he was disappointed or not with how China has handled this situation. (One wonders what the former Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, would have said in such a situation.)

He was ‘not sure’…’did not know’…’couldn’t comment’ on reports that Dr Yang is being tortured.

Mr McCormack did know, however, that ‘Australia needs its strong relationship and links with China.’

The Foreign Minister, Marise Payne, to her credit, stated that the Government is ‘very concerned and disappointed to learn that Australian citizen and academic Dr Yang Hengjun…was formally arrested in China on suspicion of espionage’.

• How did Australia allow itself to be so intimidated by one man, China’s Xi Jingping?
• Why are we so dependent on China?
• Why are we so intimidated by a regime that eschews democracy and freedom of thought?

Perhaps after China has destroyed Hong Kong and taken over Taiwan, we might re-evaluate our attitude, but then it will be too late.

As a mere chimpanzee, I, of course, am only concerned that the zoo survives and that my keeper is able to feed me an occasional banana.

Gibber! Gibber!

Chugley, the banana-loving Chimpanzee.
P.S. Of course, my bananas are grown in Australia so I have no need to be concerned.