Sky News host Rowan Dean says while Australia’s politicians fail to show spine and go into battle to win the culture wars, the country certainly doesn’t belong to us.

“So who does own Australia these days? UNESCO? The Chinese? Indigenous Australians? Until our politicians start to show some spine and actually go into battle to win the culture wars, it sure doesn’t feel like mainstream Australia does anymore,” he said.

“Astonishingly, we learned this week that China … yes dear old China has snapped up our own Keswick island, off Mackay, for a lazy $20 million and, well, they’ve now apparently locked up the National Park, shut the airstrip and public boat ramp, kicked residents off the island and told others they’re not allowed to rent out their homes.

“Is there no point at which our government actually sees this as not only a threat to our security but also to our sovereignty? Try taking out a 96-year lease of Hainan Island in the South China Sea and see how far you get.

“But Keswick isn’t the only island where Australian sovereignty is currently being challenged.”

Mr Dean said the United Nations world heritage management body UNESCO were to be briefed on the damage to Fraser Island’s environmental and cultural value once authorities brought bushfires safely under control.

“So apparently it’s their island now, not ours. Just like they attack us on the international stage over the barrier reef and the blue mountains – because we use our resources to power our economy and provide health and prosperity to our citizens — now they can add Fraser Island to their list of terrible things Australians have done to the environment,” he said.

“The irony being of course that it is entirely because of the heritage rules and regulations that the damage is so intense.”