- by Maximus M
- The Guardian
- Issue #2179
In a move that defies economic logic , the Albanese government has decided to invest Australian taxpayers’ money on the construction of five different military bases in the Philippines on the northern island, Luzon. This decision represents not only a questionable use of Australian taxpayer money but also a dangerous strategic contradiction.
The amount of spending is currently unknown as officials have been careful to avoid specific figures, but we know enough about Australian military spending to know it won’t be cheap. This hefty ‘investment’ of public funds comes at a time when many Australians are grappling with a cost-of-living crisis. The bases certainly don’t benefit ordinary Australians.
What the bases do is assist with Washington’s containment strategy against the People’s Republic of China. This is a contradictory and dangerous position that the Albanese government has taken against our largest trading partner
Former Labor Prime Minister, Paul Keating has pointed out that China is not a threat to Australian or US national security. The rhetoric that paints China as a rising enemy is dangerous and pointless, and brings Australia closer to a potential confrontation. In October 2025, Australia deliberately provoked China in the Yellow Sea where Chinese jets lunched warning flares towards Australian fighter jets. Construction of these Filipino bases could well make such confrontations more frequent and could risk more provocation that forces Australia into a regional war. It’s important for Australia to have friendly relations with neighbouring nations like the Philippines, but military investments like this make it clear that the relation is all about serving the US in Australia’s role as deputy sheriff to the US.
The decision by the Albanese government to invest in Filipino military bases represents a strategic failure as Australia prioritises the interests of the US alliance over Australian economic security. It wastes taxpayer money on foreign military infrastructure while our domestic needs go unmet, and risks a conflict which could only be a disaster.
