New polling has shown 41 per cent of university-educated Australians have a favourable view of China, revealing they don’t see the global superpower as a threat.

It’s left Michael McLaren to question how these people, along with nearly half of Greens and Labor voters, managed to miss several instances of escalation from China.

“Have you not noticed the military build-up underway in China? Did you miss the stories about the artificial islands and atolls they’ve constructed in the South China Sea and turned into military bases? Have you forgotten the stories of cyber espionage?” he said.

“Australia’s democracy will face a looming challenge as the political class try to win a majority whilst simultaneously delivering an agenda that’s rooted in reality, not fiction,” he added.

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