Concerns Over China’s Missile Test and Telstra Outage
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has raised concerns about the possibility that China’s recent missile test could have been linked to a nationwide outage experienced by Telstra, one of Australia’s largest telecommunications companies.
On Wednesday, millions of Telstra customers faced difficulties in making phone calls, accessing mobile data, or using electronic payment systems. The company’s Chief Financial Officer, Michael Ackland, stated during a press conference that a software update caused the network failure. However, he admitted that the exact reason for the disruption remains unknown, and there is no evidence of malicious activity.
Joyce called for a thorough investigation into the incident, highlighting that the outage occurred just days after China conducted a missile test in the Pacific Ocean. “I hope it’s just a coincidence about the intercontinental ballistic missile that went into the Pacific,” he told Sky News. “I hope there’s no, you know, I don’t want to be paranoid or conspiracy theorist, but we know there is the capacity for… China to affect that sort of software and that sort of network, and I hope that that’s investigated and cleared as not part of the process.”
He added, “I don’t want to be sort of, you know, conspiracy theorist… but I do think a diligent process is to make sure that there’s nothing malevolent in this.”
State-owned media outlet Xinhua reported that China launched the missile as part of a ‘military training program’ on Monday. The country provided briefings to governments before the launch, and the missile landed in a designated area between Nauru and Tuvalu.
According to a source cited by The Australian, the missile test was a response to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka signing the Ocean of Peace Alliance. This agreement includes mutual defense obligations, stating that an armed attack on any party within the Pacific would be dangerous to each other’s peace and security as well as the security of the Pacific. The alliance also opens the door for other Pacific nations to join.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles denied any connection between the missile test and Albanese’s visit to the region, though he admitted being “concerned” about China’s actions. Foreign Minister Penny Wong described the test as destabilizing to the region, while Shadow Foreign Minister Ted O’Brien called it “irresponsible” and said it was “not welcome.”
“This is not welcome news. I think it goes to a very clear contrast – between what the People’s Republic of China is looking at this region for, compared to Australia,” O’Brien said.
Michael Shoebridge, director of the defense and security think tank Strategic Analysis Australia, warned that Australians should remain concerned about the implications of the missile test. “It looks like a 10,000km-range submarine-launched ballistic missile,” he said, noting that this type of technology has been developed in China since 2018. “It can reach literally from Beijing to Brisbane with a bit to spare. It could make it to Sydney and it is nuclear capable.”
This development has sparked renewed debate over the strategic intentions of China in the Pacific region and the potential risks posed to regional stability. As investigations continue into the Telstra outage, many are questioning whether there is a deeper connection between the events.
