By Michael Shoebridge*
Whoever becomes prime minister after the election will face a sobering moment in Australia’s China policy.
It will show starkly why the policy that has had bipartisan support since Australia’s diplomatic opening to China in the 1970s is now not fit for purpose. What Scott Morrison or Bill Shorten does in that moment will shape his time in leadership on one of the most significant issues for any Australian government—its policy towards the Chinese state.
