Image: A series of clever cartoons highlighted dystopian Trump, including this one by Karin’s talented son, Torsten Strokirch.

Skeptics In The Pub is becoming a tourist drawcard with a group from Port Macquarie travelling to Armidale for Wednesday’s event attended by 83 people at The Welder’s Dog Brewery.

This follows last month’s event where people travelled from Kempsey, Guyra and Tamworth.

This week’s topic, Navigating international relations in the dystopian world of Trump by UNE Adjunct Senior Lecturer in politics and international relations Dr Karin von Strokirch, received a long round of applause.

Her wide-ranging analysis was hard-hitting and entertaining, supported by a series of clever cartoons which engaged the large audience and sparked the longest discussion session the event has ever had.

Her comprehensive examination of factors affecting Australia included: America’s long history of making rules for everyone else but then itself breaking them; it would be prudent to diversify and deepen military, economic and diplomatic partnerships with other countries; our need to beef up Australia’s security reducing reliance on the US whilst still remaining partners in ANZUS; recognising that America’s enormous military might is a great deterrent to Australia’s enemies; awareness that by the time the AUKUS submarines ever do get built, technology will probably have advanced to easily detect them, rendering impotent their military stealth capacity.