Mr Dutton, regular readers will know, has done more than anyone to ensure no other country has a relationship with China as bad as ours, starting with his echoing of Donald Trump on COVID and never letting up since as he has beaten the drums of war. His latest effort is to repeatedly suggest the Solomon Islands government had been bribed to sign the security deal with China.

It’s not for nothing that I call Peter Dutton the Offence Minister. In my opinion, he has done more than anyone to make Australia a target while presiding over an ill-equipped, bungle-prone and undermanned defence force that seems to delight in signing up for things it is sold, rather buying what Australia actually needs.

Source: Michael Pascoe: Australia’s spooks go dangerously rogue – or lie. Or both