Kym Bergmann, Editor of Australia's excellent Asia Pacific Defence Reporter, 15 minutes, 15 seconds into his podcast Episode 132 of March 24, 2026, identified the interview above and below.
In the interview author and former Deputy Chief of the RAAF, Retired Air Vice Marshal (AVM) John Blackburn AO comments (here and above) on the Australian defence force distorting damage that AUKUS is causing. This is in a March 21, 2026 interview with 7News Australia’s National Affairs Editor Tim Lester.
From 3 minutes 12 seconds to 6 minutes 44 secs, AVM John Blackburn describes the AUKUS submarine deal as a “political stunt”. The deal was initially announced on September 15, 2021 with the Australian Coalition Government of Prime Minister Morrison and Defence Minister Dutton attempting to out manoeuvre the Labor Party led by Anthony Albanese. Morrison-Dutton attempted to cause a split between the anti-nuclear Labor Left and the nuclear neutral Labor Centre-Right. Morrison-Dutton gained support from the opportunist British PM at the time, Boris Johnson and an aging President Biden. Blackburn expects AUKUS to be eventually shelved.
Trump privately dismisses AUKUS, in other intel Pete has access to, as a “lame Biden project, but useful to extract cash from the Aussies”).
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