Paul Keating savages Nine on anniversary of ‘irresponsible prediction’ Australia faced looming China war

The Guardian - World NewsEN 1 min read 100% complete by Amanda Meade Media correspondentMarch 6, 2026 at 08:59 AM

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Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating has criticized Nine newspapers (Sydney Morning Herald and the Age) for their 2023 "Red Alert" series. Keating argues the series, which predicted a potential Chinese attack on Australia within three years, was an "irresponsible prediction" that misled the public. He voiced his disapproval on the third anniversary of the series' publication. Keating specifically targeted the reporting and its author, international editor Peter Hartcher. The former prime minister has been a consistent critic of the newspapers' coverage of Australia-China relations.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Peter Hartcher 40% Sydney Morning Herald 50% The Age 50% Red Alert ×260% China 70% Nine ×270% Australia ×280% Paul Keating ×290%

Keywords

paul keating 90% red alert series 80% australia 70% china 70% irresponsible prediction 70% media criticism 60% nine newspapers 60% war 60% the age 50% sydney morning herald 50%

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Negative

Score: -0.40

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Source

The Guardian - World News

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85%

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paul keating red alert series australia china irresponsible prediction media criticism nine newspapers war the age sydney morning herald

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