Australia has weathered economic coercion before. While it captures the seriousness of hostile economic measures, it also risks escalating rhetoric and locking governments into rigid postures. Conflating the two risks militarising what are essentially political and economic tools, undermining diplomacy, escalating rhetoric and distorting policy priorities. It could narrow the framing of coercion to military competition, sidelining diplomacy and economic tools. Economic coercion can now be paired with cyber disruption, disinformation campaigns, and grey-zone operations against critical infrastructure.