In Your Say, readers tell Crikey what they think about our stories. Today you focus on just one: the proposal to help rebuild Mykolaiv and Kherson in Ukraine by “adopting” those regions.
On should Australia ‘adopt a region’ to help rebuild Ukraine
Morris and Fiona Lyda write: This is a great idea and should be officially acted upon ASAP. The message it sends to Vladimir Putin is: “Democracy will endure.” Any action that adds even a gram to the counterweight pulling Russian forces out of Ukraine is an objective worth pursuing with haste.
Putin is blind to our efforts to bolster Ukrainian resistance, but Russian citizens are aware of the global determination to confront this hideous invasion. They are also aware of the costs associated with Putin’s evil folly. Putin will never stop, but the inferno of Russian discontent will grow to a point where he is incinerated. Feeding that growth is the only sure weapon to defeat this insane autocrat. Publicly supporting Ukraine now and into the future is the surest fuel we have at our disposal to feed that fire, which will eventually consume the bastard.
Jocelyn Holloway writes: Let’s do this! I wholeheartedly support Australia pledging to help rebuild destroyed infrastructure in Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts. I live in Tasmania, where more than 99% of goods leaving and arriving are moved by sea, making our ports a central point for the exchange of goods. The port of Hobart is a major deepwater port that supports a variety of industries, including bulk log exports, container exports, bulk fuel imports, commercial fishing, Antarctic exploration and cruise ships. Tasmania’s major industries are mining, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, forestry and tourism. Hydro Tasmania is Australia’s leading clean energy business and largest generator of renewable energy. Partnering with an adopted region of Ukraine offers exciting opportunities to share expertise and grow business.
The Ukrainian people have demonstrated incredible strength and innovation during the invasion by Russia, and Ukraine is transforming into a modern European nation before our eyes. Like Australia, Ukraine is a vibrant multicultural democracy. We have so much in common. Albo, let’s hitch a ride with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Malcolm Harrison writes: Should we help reconstruct southern Ukraine? The simple answer is no. These territories are mostly under the control of Russia and have now been incorporated into Russia. How exactly then can we partner with Ukraine to rebuild these regions when Ukraine no longer has any control over them? In the unlikely event that Ukraine regains control over these territories, perhaps then Australia could make such an offer.
Neville McCloy writes: Absolutely should Australia assist in the rebuilding of Ukraine. The war has demonstrated that democracy is something that matters, that freedom matters. Democracies like Australia take for granted our democratic and civil institutions, even if most citizens are profoundly apathetic. Ukraine wants to determine its own future and Australia should help it rebuild.
However, Ukraine before the war was a deeply corrupt country. Public corruption is an absolute cancer and erodes any development to improve the functioning of good governance. Far be it for me to say Ukraine better do this or that, but to realise the goodwill of the international community, being serious about tackling public corruption in the country should be a quid pro quo.
Joel De Bono writes: Definitely not. There are so many reasons why that whole notion sounds absolutely absurd to me, not to mention dangerous, provocative and expensive. We have many problems in Australia that require immediate political attention and, of course, funding. After the massive financial blowout trying to recover from the pandemic we don’t have the means to be frivolous with money. But my main reason against this idea is I’m sick to death of Australia becoming ever more “vocal” on the world stage — beating those relentless bloody war drums and seemingly just to show a sick reverence to the US.
The West has tarnished the reasonably good name it appeared to create after World
War II. If we don’t become more independent and aim to be more globally responsible regarding meaningful climate action and foreign policies that genuinely produce peace, I fear we will simply be complicit in — and further — other countries’ chaos.
Leslie Robert Shannon writes: There is no point doing any rebuilding lest it gets bombed again. Who knows what landmines lie about? There are enough problems in this country we should deal with. Aid OK. Military not as it’s a European conflict. Get real, folks.
Richard Walsh writes: It’s an inspiring idea. So many possibilities for personal and community involvement. A little bit like the Peace Corps in the days of US president John Kennedy. With Australian “can do”, planning, organisation and coordination, this could evolve into an extended working holiday for interested and suitably skilled individuals. Good opportunity for crowdfunding as well. Architects, engineers, multiple trade specialists. Major stuff. Start small, get experience, build up towards larger projects.
Peter Halcomb writes: I fully support Australia partnering with Ukraine and other allies to rebuild specific areas. Australia is a rich country (current debt levels aside) and we have a lot of work to do to rebuild our international reputation after nine years of Coalition governments that reduced our foreign aid from 1.32% of GDP in 2012-13 to 0.72% in 2022-23. This is embarrassing. And it represents $1 for every $12 spent on defence. Again, embarrassing.
The decline in foreign aid ignores the fact that part of a defence strategy is our international relations and ability to influence global affairs. The Coalition government found it much more interesting to buy big boys’ toys than to save lives through foreign aid. We have a magnificent chance of enhancing a deep relationship with a European country, an emerging member of the EU and hopefully NATO, to the strategic benefit of both. Scrap stage three tax cuts and build our influence globally. Help restore our reputation internationally.
Kay Parker writes: Absolutely the Australian government should commit support to rebuild Ukraine. The Ukrainian people and their government have been devastated through no fault of their own. They have made good use of military support and somehow maintained resilience and strong spirits in the face of unknowable loss and grief. It’s the humanitarian and compassionate thing to do.
John Brennan writes: Nothing should be further from our minds with the pressing obligations here at home.
The number of homeless Australians is a national disgrace ignored by the Coalition in government and now by totally inept Labor incompetents. First Nations housing, jobs, education and health are Third World. More importantly, they have no legal representation constitutionally, no treaty and no compensation. We ignore our “Pacific family”, especially their pleas over climate change and foreign aid with COVID-19, and so on… We ignore our obligation to play a role engaging with ASEAN and resolving issues such as the situation in Myanmar. We must take steps to welcome climate migrants and develop the infrastructure and accommodation now, not when the full-tilt crisis is at our doorstep. Education is at a crisis point.
Climate change realities are neither designed, prioritised, programmed or costed. Then there’s aged care, disability services and funding, fair pay and working conditions, childcare, taxation — especially the offshore-owned tax-cheating multinationals — restoring ownership of the nation’s assets through nationalisation, constitutional, parliamentary and legal reform, and the defunding of religious organisations.
Bob Whiteman writes: I think the idea of Australia being involved in helping rebuild infrastructure is a worthy idea. It’s going to take years, so it could be for the long haul. I would like to see specialist social support workers as well, such as teachers, medical workers, social workers and prosthetics specialists. There’s also going to be a huge need for agricultural specialists and environmental experts. There’s so much expertise needed to rebuild a shattered nation.
Pamela Gurner-Hall writes: I do not support this war, nor its madness on either side. How can we in all conscience support the idea of reconstruction on the other side of the world? This is not our business. Nor should we be sending any military hardware. We have joined in on much destruction around the world. We should be rebuilding those. This is complete insanity and further arrogance from an out-of-control Ukraine war-game host and its main sponsor, the US. This war has only one sane outcome and that is a negotiated settlement. I will not allow the Albanese government to be a proxy for my support for a nuclear outcome — and that is the only other outcome to be had.
Gary Cox writes: The government seems to be equivocating about sending more support to Ukraine, but this is the defining event of our times. Worrying if we will maintain enough military hardware for our own security misses the point. Our main concern is China. However, a few dozen Bushmasters or even some nuclear subs will do less to protect us than will the defeat of Putin in Ukraine.
China has intentions of invading Taiwan and then pushing further into the Pacific. It intended that this would happen in conjunction with Russia pushing further into Europe and dismantling NATO. Putin has already gone some way towards this outcome by interfering in elections in France, Hungary, Italy and others — including America. The Australian government should stop worrying about the possibility of war — that horse has already bolted, and we could easily see the war in Ukraine as World War III. It involves us all. Its outcome will influence security around the globe. We need to be a party to ensuring Ukraine prevails. The added benefit to us will be having a strong military friend in Europe.
I believe Ukraine will succeed and become a significant member of the European Union and eventually of NATO. We may need its help in future. Let’s hope it provides that help without equivocation. It is in our interests to at least double our commitments to Ukraine.
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It’s mindless to consider rebuilding before a negotiated settlement is reached. Negotiations are the only hope for the violence to end.
“First we were told that Putin is strong & popular and so West has to deal with him & recognize his interests as a way to end the war. Now we are told that Putin is weak & about to be overthrown so West has to deal with him & recognize his interests as a way to end the war. Odd.” @McFaul
Housing Ukraine’s homeless? How bloody daft is that when we can’t be bothered housing our own.
Ukraine was never ‘Russian’, is a sovereign country and Russia invaded Ukraine. There is no avoiding those facts unless you want to concoct a fantasy in which somehow the territorial ambitions of Russian tsars and then the USSR represented ‘Russia’. To resile from objecting to the aggression of an unwarranted and unjustified invasion is to make Neville Chamberlain look like a hero and we know what happened then.
For all of those people who would like to ignore what is happening in Ukraine history has some unpleasant lessons in regard to what happens when one tries to ignore or appease a dictatorial murderer.
But of course one must look to what is ‘good’ for Australia and ignore the rest of the world.
John Brennan writes: Nothing should be further from our minds with the pressing obligations here at home.
The number of homeless Australians is a national disgrace ignored by the Coalition in government and now by totally inept Labor incompetents….
I worked as an AusAID volunteer for almost a decade and was doing so when Abbott closed AusAID in 2013 as one of his first actions as PM (and shortly afterwards closed Australia Network too). There were occasional articles in the msm, often deploring these two closures and their effects. Almost invariably, BTL comments would include reference to similar disgraceful situations at home which were much more deserving of national funding than overseas aid. And so it went from 2013 to 2022.
Since May 2022 the new government, especially Foreign Affairs minister Penny Wong, has been busily traversing Asia and the Pacific trying desperately to restore lost relationships and connections and re-build bridges with the neighbourhood.
And the money “saved” from the greatly diminished aid budget between 2013 and 2022, did not go to those Australians in need – those who are homeless, who desperately need medical and/or dental attention, towards improving schools or hospitals, towards building better rail and road infrastructure, towards paying a decent wage to those in the care sectors, to increasing Medicare payments … The list of those who did not benefit from the “saved” aid money is endless.
Providing aid to help re-build Ukraine is a debate we need to have. Pressing needs at home will not be progressed by one millimetre with money not spent on Ukraine.
Interesting while many Australian commentators, including here take the nativist, libertarian and far right view claiming Australia needs more isolation &/or not increase aid money, or worse, doing the bidding of Putin and autocracy.
However, they avert their gaze from others including former PMs, Ministers etc., suffering ‘relevance deprivation syndrome’ who are happy to promote the ‘Anglosphere’ over Australia’s own interests? Of course there is the majority of those not in the spotlight who do good works and act as informal ambassadors for Australia.
Good example, those running round presenting at nativist libertarian think tanks and similar media offshore. There is a specific cohort within the same ecosystem as Farage, CPAC, Bannon etc. who are interviewed on or cited by GB News; allegedly part supported by Legatum and known euphemistically as ‘KGB News’.
The same mob were indirectly called out by Anne Applebaum for being ‘visitors’ to a similarly minded think tank in Hungary….
You seem to worship the totally fair, unbiased & disinterested Arch Atlanticist Applebaum and CIA stenographer having cited her elsewhere.
Applebaum became a British citizen last year – as she told LNL, “…in despair at the direction the USA was going, not just under Trump…” .
She is now also a Polish citizen as her previously British (hence her first switch) husband Radoslaw Sikorky (m.1992), had to revert to his Polish citizenship to be, first Foreign then, Defence Minister in Donald Tusk’s and other even mire rightwing governments from 2005-2014.
He was good friend of Bozo at Oxford, member of the Bullingdon club, fellow of the American Enterprise Institute, etc etc. and is now an MEP, fellow of Foreign Policy Affairs and Senior Network Member of European Leadership Network (ELN), a think-tank focusing on European foreign, defence and security issues based in London.
The ELN’s Director is Sir Adam Thomson, former UK Permanent Representative to NATO.So AA has the good oil (sic!) on the Establishment’s plan for the Ukraine.
If you looked more closely you might find that she is also a fan of Koch, your personal bête noire.
So you have lost the argument already by making it personal and basing your ‘analysis’ on opinions; Applebaum and dozens of others do good analysis that can be challenged, by synthesis of broad, deep and credible sources.
What are your credible sources e.g. according to the ‘CRAAP’ test (assuming you know what it is?) versus playing the devil’s advocate and not offering anything substantive; classic conservatism?
I know she was with Legatum (of Dubai & behind (K)GB News) but departed some years ago) for a while, can you show me how she was a ‘fan of Koch’ or which part of the ‘Kochtopus’?
Interesting while many Australian commentators, including here take the nativist, libertarian and far right view claiming Australia needs more isolation &/or not increase aid money, or worse, doing the bidding of Putin and autocracy.
However, they avert their gaze from others including former PMs, Ministers etc., suffering ‘relevance deprivation syndrome’ who are happy to promote the ‘Anglosphere’ over Australia’s own interests? Of course there is the majority of those not in the spotlight who do good works and act as informal ambassadors for Australia.
Good example, those running round presenting at nativist libertarian think tanks and similar media offshore. There is a specific cohort within the same ecosystem as CPAC etc. who are interviewed on or cited by GB News; allegedly part supported by Legatum and known euphemistically as ‘KGB News’.
Interesting while many Australian commentators, including here take the nativist, libertarian and far right view claiming Australia needs more isolation &/or not increase aid money, or worse, doing the bidding of Putin and autocracy.
However, they avert their gaze from others including former PMs, Ministers etc., suffering ‘relevance deprivation syndrome’ who are happy to promote the ‘Anglosphere’ over Australia’s own interests? Of course there is the majority of those not in the spotlight who do good works and act as informal ambassadors for Australia.
GB News in the UK is becoming a hub for those with confusing views of Putin over the past decades; includes many of the above.
I think its a noble but misguided idea.
The Ukraine conflict is about a number of things which need to be resolved first:
As soon as Australia needs to exchange $A for large amounts of foreign currency, and such rebuilding projects as this are massive, it puts downward leverage on the value of the $A. This will increase the price of all imported goods including oil, vehicles, machinery, technology – all those things we don’t have here – at a time when it is our dependence on these things that is our vulnerability.Any further devaluation of $A makes oil more expensive without solving the underlying problems that gave rise to Russia’s invasion. The situation that allows properly “rebuilding an adopted region” won’t change until the key issues noted above are resolved.
Yes, the Australian government can, at anytime and without direct cost, simply decree more $A into existence. The Australian government therefore can pay for anything priced in $A. We can use $A to realise the full productive capacity of our nation, and hasten the transition to energy self reliance with new clean technology.
In the bigger scheme of things, it helps Ukraine more if Russia’s influence is weakened, and that is largely though weakening its ability to exploit the need for oil and gas. Better to use $A in Australia to create energy self-reliance and independence from foreign economic and geopolitical forces.
This further weakens the hand of fossil fuel despots and corporate multinational profiteers who hold our economies hostage.