No. 1 in Group-think and always places high in the annual Dunning-Kruger Effect awards

Critiquing this kind of drivel is like shooting fish in a barrel. It really is just poor. I guess you don't have to do any actual, real thinking or study to write up this kind of stuff.

The former foreign minister is right. When Australia's claim to the Antarctic landmass is included, it becomes the country with the largest jurisdictional claim to an area of the earth's surface, about 27.2 million square kilometres, of which about half is over ocean or sea. We're the 12th largest economy (in GDP terms), the fifth wealthiest nation (GDP per capita in US dollars) and 51st (out of 214) in population. We've got the 12th largest defence budget.

During the election Abbott said we're a ''significant middle power''. But if the Coalition wished to differentiate its foreign policy from Labor's, then it would be better dropping the middle power badging. We shouldn't exhibit a middle child syndrome that suggests we feel left out.

A better label might be pivotal. Our strategic location, size of population, economic potential, policy preferences and political weighting are destined to shape the contours of geopolitics in key regions.

As a pivotal power strategically located at the hinge of the Indo-Pacific, and a member of some important international groupings already, we should think big when it comes to our place in the world.

To review: An entitlement society that deficit spends in the federal budget. Because of this, Australia has federal debt of some substance due to the previous unicorn-policy government. Today, various bureaucrats and other self-interest factions are trying to make ends meet for all the largess dreams.

And the usual about that "12th largest defence budget". It is No. 1 in Group-think and always places high in the annual Dunning-Kruger Effect awards.

Much of it poorly spent on dud projects.

Diplomacy is less credible with a weak military.

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-Rory and Jim
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