PM Anthony Albanese called it the most significant military shake-up since WWII, but others have slammed the government for not boosting defence spending. Read more at straitstimes.com.
SYDNEY - Australia unveiled plans on Monday to overhaul its military as it prepares for a new era in which thein the Indo-Pacific region and potential adversaries such as China can threaten territory and trade routes with long-range missiles.
Australia’s geographic isolation no longer provided the defence benefits it once did, as more countries can “project combat power across greater ranges, including against our trade and supply routes”. Some also said the government had not properly explained the threats facing Australia, particularly from China, and that the resulting confusion led to a failure to clearly outline the type of military that was needed.Professor Hugh White, a strategic studies expert from Australian National University, said the review failed to clearly state Australia’s overall aim for dealing with China’s rise.
Prof White added: “For us to sustain the kind of armed forces we will need to be an effective middle power in the decades ahead, we are going to have to spend a good deal more money than the government is contemplating.”Analysts largely echoed this view, saying the government’s military spending did not match its concerns about the impending strategic threats.
Australia’s current annual defence budget is about A$48.6 billion , or about 2.1 per cent of its GDP. Mr Sam Roggeveen, director of the Lowy Institute’s International Security Programme, noted that the government had not explained whether “long range” encompassed conducting operations far offshore.
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