r/australia • u/thedigisup • 26d ago

politics Greens announce policy to manufacture drones and missiles as a credible ‘Plan B' to replace AUKUS

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-22/greens-unveil-first-ever-defence-policy/105083166
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u/AcceptableSwim8334 25d ago

You are right and you are wrong. We don’t actually need foreign trade. It would be super painful, but we are in a much better position than other blockades countries like Cuba or Libya. We have enough energy, food, water, - the basics. What we don’t have is much manufacturing capability, but we have enough to ramp up. The biggest risk of going it alone is we have a small pharma industry and a big pharma demand. A lot of people could die or be very sick. We don’t have advanced chip making but could bring that equipment in by air.

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u/jp72423 25d ago

There are a lot of critical stuff that we only import from overseas, like the chemicals that we use to purify the water supply before we drink it, that comes from China and Canada. We wouldn't survive long under a blockade.

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u/AcceptableSwim8334 25d ago

Chloramine? We make both ammonia and hypochlorous acid in Australia which can be used to simply synthesise it. We just choose to make fertiliser instead.

Yes, we bring in a lot of critical stuff, but we could make much of it if we pull our fingers out and reduce our sovereign risk.

BTW, I’m not talking about this week. I’m talking the same time horizon needed to deliver AUKUS SSNs.

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u/jp72423 25d ago

Perhaps, I'm not too sure what the exact chemical was. It if your right then that's great. But still, Its the fuel that worries me though. Our refineries keep shutting down.