DeSantis questions US diplomatic relationship with 'off-the-rails' Australia over military COVID lockdowns

Fox News ^ | 09.28.2021 | Jon Brown

[Black Conservative Voice]

Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., questioned Tuesday if the United States should rethink its diplomatic relationship with Australia given its strict, military-enforced COVID-19 lockdowns.

Speaking at the International Boat Builders’ Exhibition and Conference in Tampa, DeSantis touched on his own state's response to the virus, saying, "I really believe that if we had not done what we did during the last year and a half to keep the state open, to protect people’s jobs, to protect our small businesses, to protect our kids being able to go to school — if we had not done that, a lot of these other states wouldn’t have followed.

https://twitter.com/MichaelPSenger/status/1442951330021068804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1442951330021068804%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Fdesantis-questions-diplomatic-relationship-with-off-the-rails-australia-over-military-covid-lockdowns">Link To Twtter

"And who knows where we would be right now?" he asked.

"You say, like, ‘It can’t happen here,'" DeSantis continued. "You know, you guys, look what’s going on in Australia right now. You know, they’re enforcing, after a year and a half, they’re still enforcing lockdowns by the military."

"That’s not a free country. It’s not a free country at all. In fact, I mean, I wonder why we would still have the same diplomatic relations when they’re doing that. Is Australia freer than China, communist China, right now? I don’t know. The fact that that’s even a question tells you something has gone dramatically off the rails with some of this stuff."

[Black Conservative Voice]

Wait till we’re under military style lockdowns under Biden. People will wake up then.

[No_Mas_Obama]

You mean the guns and ammo will wake up. We the People will just be taking care of matters.

[naturalman1975]

The military is not enforcing lockdowns in Australia. The whole premise of this person’s argument is wrong.

Why is so much nonsense about Australia being spread in the United States? What are they trying to hide from you?

[Rocko Jack]

Perhaps the videos of riot Police beating women is compelling

[naturalman1975]

Some police are out of control, yeah.

That’s a real problem.

We don’t need people making up non-existent problems like the military enforcing lockdowns on top of it.

I have seen so many outright lies in the US press about Australia in recent weeks - including many here on FR - that I really wonder at what the hell is going on in America.

I know what is going on in Australia. A lot of it isn’t good. But it doesn’t need to be exaggerated into something worse.

[MuttTheHoople]

Australia is under the jackboot of Chicom-controlled leaders

[Mashood]

Just flattening the curve for a year and a half.....

[PghBaldy]

We already have that even without covid.
They broke a demented elderly women’s arm over shoplifting, then made her suffer in pain for hours.

[Yo-Yo]

We just signed an agreement with Australia to provide them with Nuclear submarines.

[Tagurit]

Australia is just a Petri dish for our current administration.

[Dartoid]

Bullshit

[missnry]

The military is not enforcing lockdowns in Australia. The whole premise of this person’s argument is wrong.

Well maybe you should take that up with the BBC... is this fake news??

Australia has deployed hundreds of soldiers to Sydney to help enforce a Covid lockdown.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-58021718

[missnry]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-58021718

[mewzilla]

A lot of it isn’t good?!

Tell you what, tell me what IS good in Australia right now?

[MAGAthon]

of course the military has been assisting the police, in enforcing the various lockdowns. a few quick links I found:

29 July: Guardian: Military to help enforce Sydney lockdown as NSW reports record 239 local Covid cases
Federal government agrees to send in troops, saying ‘boots on the ground’ will assist NSW police enforce tougher restrictions
(NSW Police Commissioner): “The assistance of the ADF has been essential over the past 18 months – particularly during last year’s border operation, the ongoing hotel quarantine operation and the assistance provided with logistics support in the police operations centre.”

The state’s police minister, David Elliott, said “support from the army will add another line of defence to the NSW government’s crackdown on Covid-19 compliance”...
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/jul/29/nsw-covid-update-rules-tightened-in-western-sydney-as-state-reaches-record-high-of-239-daily-cases

18 Aug: news.com.au: Army set to descend on Queensland to patrol NSW-Qld border checkpoints, delighting the Premier
Solders are on their way to Queensland to help patrol border checkpoints following a request from Annastacia Palaszczuk.
“The Premier has welcomed the federal government’s agreement to Queensland’s request, providing 100 soldiers to reinforce our border,” a spokeswoman from the Premier’s department said in a statement...
https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/news/one-case-and-were-in-lockdown-premiers-covid-threat-as-nsw-border-to-tighten/news-story/f3e962923a3f89af11cc5f02fdcea6d3

8 Feb: The Age: ADF troops arrive in Victoria after confusion and delay
The ADF has committed 216 additional troops over the coming weeks to help with Victoria’s expanded quarantine scheme after the Andrews government requested military support from the Commonwealth late last month. About 200 troops are currently working across 12 Victorian quarantine hotels...
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/foley-in-the-dark-on-adf-arrivals-then-flight-cancelled-anyway-20210207-p570bb.html

[naturalman1975]

Yes, basically. The spin on it is ridiculous.

Do you think this is an example of America using the military to enforce the law?

Virginia National Guard ends COVID-19 response mission

Australia doesn't have any real equivalent of the US National Guard. For that reason, when we are faced with disaster or emergency situation it is routine to use the Australian Defence Force to provide aid to the civil power.

This is explicitly not an enforcement role.

It is constitutionally possible for the Australian Defence Forces to take on an enforcement role - but it requires very specific and explicit action for that to occur - the procedure is outlined in Section 51 of the Defence Act. None of that has happened. None of it is likely to happen.

What the Australian Defence Force is doing is providing logistical support, planning support, and assisting with contract tracing. They have no enforcement powers - if they see somebody committing any crime, they have no power to intervene than any ordinary person - they have to call the police.

What the ADF has been involved with is basically the same thing it does when we have bushfires or other natural disasters. It might look scary to people who don't understand Australia's system, but it really isn't.

Some of what the police have been doing is genuinely concerning.

The last time Australia used the ADF on home soil in an enforcement role was in 1978 after a bomb was set off at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sydney which was being attended by the Queen and over a dozen Prime Ministers.

This is what that looked like:

This is what is going on now:

Can you see the difference?

[McGruff]

I love Trump but DeSantis is my second love.

[naturalman1975]

I have written quite a lot of comments on what is actually going on in Australia over recent days, and one long post.

I'll link you to that post:

So what is going on in Australia? View from an Australian Freeper

I am happy to answer any specific questions if I can - but I'm honestly getting a bit sick of having to fight constant misinformation being posted on FR at the moment. It is really quite ridiculous and I do wonder why the hell it's happening so much.

There seems to be a deliberate in America to paint the situation in Australia - which isn't good - as far worse than it is. And I wonder why. What value is there to anybody in making Americans focus on problems overseas rather than what is going on in their own country?

[naturalman1975]

Out of the articles, you've posted only one of them (The Guardian) one has anything to do with lockdowns - quarantine is completely separate from lockdown. Internal border security is also separate from lockdown. And it's inaccurate in some very important details.

The ADF is providing logistical support - aid to the civil power. This is not an enforcement role.

I was an officer in the ADF (specifically the RAN) for over twenty years. I had to have a very, very clear understanding of our legal powers - what we could and could not do.

The ADF cannot be used to enforce the law without very clear declarations under Section 51 of the Defence Act. These have not happened.

The ADF can and does provide logistical support in emergencies. That's not an enforcement role.

[zzeeman]

I trust that you are a good fellow. Genuinely expressing his beliefs and observations.

I further note that you are (based on your posting history) a loyal and dedicated servant and protector of your nation. And that can never be discounted or ignored. Woe to any that venture in that direction.

I only suggest that you let go (even momentarily, from time to time) of what has bound you to the "reality" of being an Australian... that which was your solid rock of faith for many decades... and re-examine it in a new light... Perhaps, all may not be, as it seems...

Just a friendly and well meaning suggestion, we here in the States, that have a similar background and experience set as you do, are being forced to do the same...

It isn't easy, it is quite awful at times...

But we must... if we are to continue to honor all that we fought for, and believed in, for all of our miserable and glorious lives... G'day!