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Regional man, Callan Golsby (39) says he’s starting to understand the difficulties faced by both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Foreign Minister, Penny Wong.
The balance between of doing business with both the US and the Chinese is one that needs to be managed very carefully.
Both options result in food on the table, but siding too heavily with one may cause unwanted problems further down the track.
This comes as Callan sits parked in his car on the main street of his small country town, deciding what to get for tea.
He’s learning that rural Australia is much like foreign diplomacy, in that, there’s only really two options to choose from.
You’ve got the historically reliable golden arches and their drive-thru comfort food, or you’ve got the slightly more sustainable greens and protein that have been cooked up in a wok.
In the past, he’s done trade with both of these regional powerhouses. But he knows the Americans are leading him to a dark and unhealthy place.
The Chinese is a slightly healthier option – and unlike the Americans, it’s got a fairly diverse menu.
But he also knows that becoming completely reliant on the Chinese will one day leave him with far less to choose from, and the Americans pack up and leave if they don’t get enough business in this town.
Whether it’s true or not, Callan can’t make it known that the Chinese is a preference, because if they become his sole trading partner, the Indians won’t even want to set up shop here. And the big fella is quite partial to a curry.
While those living in the affluent suburbs of the city may think that it’s perfectly fine to go with French for dinner, like former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, the reality is – the finest cheese and wine really does not make economic sense in the long run. It is also isn’t that safe.
That’s why Callan is stressing on tonight’s decision. Even if he splits his business between the two, he still needs to make the decision between who gets to be the sides and who gets to be the main.
“And I can’t afford to be doing two mains” he says.
“It wouldn’t be worth it anyway. Those flavours clash too much”
