Australia Is Sending ‘Neighbours’ And ‘MasterChef’ To The Pacific To Combat China’s Influence
Everybody needs good Neighbours.
Over the last few years, Australia’s friendship with our Pacific neighbours has been … tested.
Peter Dutton joking about rising sea levels swallowing island nations didn’t help, and fighting to protect coal during last year’s Pacific Islands Forum heavily dented our reputation.
So what’s a quick and easy way to try and claw back some of that goodwill?
Give them Neighbours, apparently.
Mullet diplomacy
— Brian Cornford (@BrianCornford) May 25, 2020
A new $17 million deal will see Aussie shows like Neighbours, The Voice, Masterchef, 60 Minutes and Border Security (really) broadcast to seven island nations.
But the motives are less about benevolently sharing enjoyment of Toadie’s latest exploits, and more of a soft power play to try and curb China’s growing sway in the region.
Australia has historically enjoyed unrivalled influence in the Pacific, but over the last few years Beijing has pumped over $1 billion into aid and investment projects to the region.
All that is making Canberra nervous. It also doesn’t help that our own relationship with China has been at rock bottom since the federal government began pushing for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.
But while President Xi is becoming increasingly popular in the Pacific, no one can deny the pull of the iconic Susan Kennedy … apparently.
— Austin Collins (@AustinC35783868) May 26, 2020
The news has inspired people to start brainstorming what other cracking Aussie content might appeal to our Pacific neighbours — while of course, poking general fun.
Phase two of this plan involves airdropping DVDs of classic Rove episodes on towns and cities across the region
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) May 25, 2020
We’d get even better results by also broadcasting A Country Practice 😂😂
— CKahuki (@CKahuki) May 25, 2020
Gee. The Chinese send in PPE and we send Neighbours and Masterchef. Not sure if we’ve got the hang of this diplomacy thingy.
— Meetingofthetribes (@Meetingtribes) May 25, 2020
President Xi is quaking
— the dignity zone (@themeetingtree_) May 25, 2020
As reported by the ABC, broadcasters in Papua New Guinea have welcomed the deal.
They were consulted and able to choose content they thought would suit their audiences, but also hope the deal will help get Pacific content shown here.
However, critics also say the money would have been better spent on shows that are more relevant to Pacific audiences, used to develop their own Pacific content, or to strengthen local journalism.
In 2014 the LNP cut funding for the ABC’s Australian Network, which beamed Australian content to countries across Asia and the Pacific.
In 2017 budget cuts also forced the ABC switched off shortwave radio broadcasting to the Pacific. China’s state-owned broadcaster took over those frequencies less than two years later.