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This week, Defence Minister Richard Marles released Labor's first National Defence Strategy and Defence Integrated Investment Program.
He faced three crucial tests.
Test one: explain the looming threats and challenges confronting Australia.
Test two: explain a clear strategy to deter and defeat these threats in plain language that Australians can understand.
Test three: show that Labor is serious about national security by giving the Australian Defence Force (ADF) the funding it needs so we can protect our nation.
The defence minister failed on all three fronts.
Instead of having an honest conversation with the Australian people, Richard Marles reverted—as he so often does—to vague, bureaucratic language.
His strategy was just regurgitated talking points.
Instead of investing in the men and women who make up our defence forces, the defence minister announced a further .8 billion in so-called “reprioritisations”.
This pushes total Defence cuts and delays under Labor to over billion.
Marles states that we face "our most complex strategic circumstances since the end of World War II," but Labor can only summon a modest .7 billion increase in Defence spending over the next four years.
We know that most of the spending uplift in the next four years will be due to inflation and foreign exchange movements.
And we know any increase in spending is due to AUKUS—an endeavour that the Coalition established and continues to support.Unlike Labor, the Coalition is serious about national security.
Under a Dutton-led government, there will be clarity around threats to Australia, a decisive strategy to defeat them, and the funding to support our defence men and women.
That means more Defence spending than under a weak, directionless Albanese Government.
Richard Marles and Labor are not up to this job.
Under a Dutton-led government, you will get strength, action, and delivery.
The choice is clear.
Regards
Andrew Hastie
www.andrewhastie.com.auPic Of The Week
It was a pleasure to welcome Hon John Anderson AC FTSE to Mandurah this afternoon.
We enjoyed an engaging and insightful discussion about the state of our nation, delving deep into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
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