Paul Keating ‘no real understanding’ of Indo-Pacific region: Alexander Downer

Former foreign minister Alexander Downer says former Australian prime minister Paul Keating has “no real understanding” of the Indo-Pacific region. Mr Downer’s comments are in response to former prime minister Paul Keating accusing Foreign Minister Penny Wong of rattling “the China can” and saying ASIO boss Mike Burgess is running a “goon show” amid the ASEAN summit. “I’ve always said of Paul Keating he may understand economics and he is an instinctive economics, but he has no real feel or understanding of the Indo-Pacific region,” Mr Downer told Sky News Australia host Chris Kenny. “He doesn’t have a great deal of experience through his life in the region. “Penny Wong and the government, and the opposition are right what we need in the Indo-Pacific region is a proper power balance. “We need the US, its allies, and Japan, Australia and so on… Working closely together with India.”