On Friday morning, US President Joe Biden announced to the world that, with Australia’s support, the US and UK, along with other allies, had undertaken military operations against the Houthis in Yemen.

The last time I checked, the Prime Minister was elected and paid to represent, defend, and ensure that Australia’s interests and national sovereignty were a priority. Besides the importance of protecting shipping routes in the Red Sea and sending a clear message that we will not tolerate terror, which I firmly support, my questions are; were the reasons why we supported this military operation in our interests, and if so, why were they made, and who made them?

Albanese didn’t answer those questions.

Instead, we heard about our support role from the US President, not our own Prime Minister.

We deserve better from our elected leaders.

This international conflict, which is well on track to morphing into a world war, comes at a time when many Australians are already on their knees – many can’t even afford to pay the energy bills, rent, the mortgage, and put food on the table for their kids. Most Australians don’t want to get involved in this war for good reason, and it’s not about the merits of ‘just war’ given the barbarity we see manifesting in horrific detail. It’s because staying out is in the interests of us as a nation.

The long-term damage to our already besieged economy will be devastating; it will further impact investment, business, and free trade. When money could be best spent boosting those who are struggling the most and investing in manufacturing, ensuring business thrives and economic stability, political cowardice is seeing our tax dollars being funnelled into foreign conflicts that have nothing to do with our prosperity as a nation. Our ability to operate in a world where we can ensure that we can thrive as an economy and a sovereign nation is exactly what the Menzies’ We Believe statement advocated.

The cost to service personnel and their families is always exponentially worse – they are the ones who have to fight on frontlines, endure the long-term health consequences of PTSD, and combat-related injuries. Not to mention the cost of sending military equipment and personnel that could best be served here in our own region, given the geopolitical situation we find ourselves in. The threats loom large, as we were blatantly reminded when told by China that we would be ‘pushed over the edge of the abyss’ on Saturday in response to the elections in Taiwan.

War also inevitably brings more people to our shores who are fleeing conflict zones. Intelligence officials have long outlined the methods and means of radicalisation. We know that exporting conflict will not make Australia safer. In fact, involvement in any foreign conflict only increases the likelihood of radicalisation, terrorism, social unrest within Australia – just look at the cracks that have already appeared in our social fabric as a result of Middle Eastern conflicts. Australians don’t want protesters jamming up their roads to make a school drop, cultural clashes on their streets, or their news bulletins filled with terrorism that could easily have been prevented.

Australians just want to get on with their lives and enjoy the peaceful and prosperous nation we are lucky enough to inhabit. We are geographically isolated, and that is a good thing.

There is no doubt the history that fuels this conflict is fraught with complexity and disaster, and this will only serve to destabilise an already fragile geopolitical environment. We have to navigate our sovereignty in a way that preserves Australia’s interests in the long term. The fact remains that the divide between the West and the Arab world is fractured for a reason, and the ongoing escalation that sees the shift towards a multipolar world is one that will provide more global insecurity and social unrest. What our leaders must recognise is that the veil of proxy war is no longer hidden, that the people are wise to political agendas, and that transparency must be core to restoring faith in the political class. Deterrence is a strategy that must be deployed with Australia’s long-term interests as paramount.

If there were ever a time that Australia required solid and wise leadership, it is now.

What makes Australia the best country in the world is the defence of Liberal principles and the rejection of political systems that oppress and use terror to coerce its populace. We must defend our values in a way that primarily serves our people and the durable prosperity of our country. That requires immediate de-escalation.

Consequently, serious questions need to be asked about the decision to support the air strikes was made, the reason behind it, and most importantly, whether this is in the interests of the people of Australia.

People are sick to the teeth of listening to the same talking points from politicians that listen to the same vested interests. We are not getting anything different, because they are all more of the same thing – it’s all just window dressing for the same vapid leadership that puts the country at risk.

They stand for nothing, betray our nation, and we pay the price.

The blatant lack of transparency is insulting to the voting public. It is this demonstration of blatant contempt that we should all take up with our elected representatives. Getting involved in a conflict on the other side of the world will inevitably have consequences for us and these consequences cross all political divides. Individual autonomy and sovereignty are central to the Liberal principles that have made our country the best place to live.

We have to demand more. Our future as a prosperous nation and the safety of her people, depend on it.

Matthew Camenzuli is a political commentator, entrepreneur and the co-founder of the Member’s Rights movement of the Liberal Party. He was expelled from the Party after suing former Prime Minister Scott Morrison to ensure fairness in the preselection process and that the Australian people were given a voice. 

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