This is Australia's defense focus:
[Prime Minister] Scott Morrison has unveiled a more aggressive defence strategy aimed at countering the rise of China, while warning that Australia faces regional challenges on a scale not seen since World War II.
The strategy increases the focus on the Indo-Pacific region, with the Prime Minister warning that Australia needs to prepare for a post-COVID-19 world that is "poorer, more dangerous and more disorderly".
Australia will build a larger military that is focused on its immediate backyard, including new long-range anti-ship missiles, signalling a major shift in the nation's defence strategy.
This isn't new and it will leverage American military power to defend Australia.
At one time it was clear that Australia could not--absent a decision to spend the money--be a shield and pivot point to allow American forces to deploy to and maneuver between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
(And Darwin is the center of the joint shield.)
More recently I was confused about Australian doubts about their defense needs. I thought the threat environment had been pretty stable--and obvious.
What does seem new is that post-Xi Jinping Flu pandemic, Australia is no longer confused about whether it should draw closer to China at America's expense.
Australia chose fellow free democracy America and chose to fund their choice.
UPDATE: Not that undoing the damage Chinese propaganda has inflicted in Australian views is over:
An Australian university is teaching an economics class that was funded by a controversial Beijing-controlled agency, the contents of which have been described as Communist Party “propaganda”.
America has long had a problem with those, too.
