If the Albanese Labor government really wants to show they have taken on board the strategic defence review's uncompromising findings, they'll put their money where their mouth is, writes Nick Cater.
Which is more than a little alarming since Anthony Albanese’s government has been warned in no uncertain terms that our Defence Force is not up to the task of defending us against a rising China.
The grim message from the review’s authors, Air Chief Marshall Sir Angus Houston and former defence minister Stephen Smith, is that the battle for the Indo-Pacific region has already begun. This mighty military force is being built “without transparency or reassurance … of China’s strategic intent”, which means that we must assume that the PRC’s intentions are hostile.
When he speaks of the dangers of “kinetic conflict” what he’s talking about is the prospect of an actual war. We can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of spending and improve the lumbering process of signing defence contracts. Now, more than ever, Australia needs to be able to deter attacks using enhanced weaponry and technology on its own soil.It is instructive that Israel, a nation that serves as an example of self-contained resilience, spends approximately 5 per cent of GDP on defence.It contrasts sharply with our response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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