Australia ‘stuffed’ if attacked, senator Jacqui Lambie says, as Chinese warships re-enter Australian waters

Three Chinese warships have re-entered Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone after recently completing live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) frigates and replenishment vessel have been tracked about 296km east of Hobart, Defence said in a statement on Tuesday.

Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie said Australia would be “stuffed” if the Chinese Navy attacked.

“It’s not China that’s bothering me this morning, it’s our Defence Force and the equipment that it has,” she told the Today show on Wednesday morning.

“And quite frankly, it’s a disgrace, so that is my problem. We cannot protect ourselves.

“I’m not worried about China this morning. I’m telling you right now, if we were to be attacked, we’re buggered. We’re absolutely stuffed.”

In international waters off the NSW coast last week, the Chinese ships conducted live firing drills.

“Look, the problem is the live firing,” Senator Lambie said.

“We’re supposed to give each other notice, so, as per usual, they’re just being undiplomatic.

“This is the usual character of China. This is what they try and do. This is their big boy tactics, sticking their chests out.”

A New Zealand warship crew reportedly first saw the Chinese ships getting into firing formation and deploying a floating target on Friday.

A Virgin pilot saw the Chinese ships about 30 minutes later and alerted Airservices Australia, which then told the Australian Defence Force.

The Chinese Navy was broadcasting radio warnings, but at a senate estimates hearing, the Airservices Australia boss revealed his agency was not monitoring the broadcasts, confirming it was the Virgin Australia pilot who alerted the Australian government.

On Wednesday, Senator Lambie insisted Australia’s borders should be fortified and waiting for AUKUS submarines would take too long.

“I don’t understand why we don’t have missiles all up the top and around Australia, so work that one out … We cannot protect ourselves,” she said.

The federal government released a fulsome Defence Strategic Review in 2023 that warned Australia’s strategic circumstances had “radically” worsened to the point that “we now face as a nation the prospect of major conflict in the region that directly threatens our national ­interest”.

The review found the ADF, designed to deter low-level threats, was “no longer fit for purpose” in a more dangerous era when the US was no longer the region’s only major power.

“Intense China-United States competition is the defining feature of our region and our time,” the ­review found.

The live firing drills in international waters on Friday caused flights between Australia and New Zealand to be diverted. The Chinese ships did more live fire exercises closer to New Zealand on Saturday and headed south from there.

The ADF said in a statement on Tuesday the ships had come into Australian waters.

“Task Group 107 re-entered Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the early hours of this morning,” the statement read.

The department confirmed it was working with the New Zealand Defence Force in tracking the task group while it remained within Australia’s maritime borders.

“PLA-N Task Group 107, comprised of the Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang, the Renhai-class Cruiser Zunyi and the Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu, is operating approximately 160 nautical miles (296 kilometres) east of Hobart,” it said.

“Australia expects all militaries operating in the region to engage transparently, maintain the highest standards of safety and professionalism, and we encourage all states to maintain open communication to ensure their actions support regional security and stability.

“We respect the right of all states under international law to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in international waters and airspace, just as we expect others to respect our right to do the same.”

The government has formally protested the live military drills that occurred outside Australia’s economic zone, Anthony Albanese said on Monday.

“So we put in an official protest, if you like, that more notice should have been given if this activity was to occur,” the Prime Minister said.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said on Saturday Chinese authorities had not given a “satisfactory” explanation for live-fire drills conducted in the zone, the first of which forced 49 commercial flights to alter their courses at short notice.

In a statement, Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian challenged the Australian government’s version of events, saying it had issued repeated safety notices.

“China’s actions are in full compliance with international law and international practices and will not affect aviation flight safety,” Mr Wu said.

“Australia, knowing this well, made unreasonable accusations against China and deliberately hyped it up. We are deeply surprised and strongly dissatisfied with this.”

Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone is a maritime boundary established in 1994 that gives the nation sovereign rights within 12 to 200 nautical miles of the coastline.