New Defence Leadership Required

In my latest article for the Sydney Morning Herald, I examine the key priorities for whichever party is elected to government in Australia's federal election next month.

Image: Australian Dept of Defence

In May, the Australian public will go to the polls to elect a new federal government. Currently, the polls are tight, and no obvious winner has emerged. Despite the very perilous strategic circumstances Australia finds itself in, defence and security are not expected to be significant issues in the election campaign.

That is a shame. Because Australia has never faced a more challenging environment in which to plan for its future security and prosperity. In this piece just published in the Sydney Morning Herald, I lay out five important priorities that the incoming government must address.

Defence, while elevated by recent Chinese live-fire exercises near Australia, will take a back seat to the cost of groceries and power in this federal election campaign. That is a tragedy because Australia is confronting threats to its security unlike any it has faced. Ever.

Despite the best efforts of the superb people in our operating forces outside Canberra, our Defence department is like a footy team about to run onto the grand final with five unfit players, two who are missing boots, a coach who is yet to decide on game tactics, and a support staff who forgot energy drinks and the team physio. Because of underfunding and poor investment prioritisation, underperformance in recruitment and, most importantly, underthinking about lessons from modern war, the defence of our nation will soon tip into crisis.

Since the election of the Albanese government, the Chinese and Russians have grown more militarily powerful, aggressive and informed about modern warfare. China has formed a learning-and-adaptation bloc with Russia, Iran and North Korea to implement the lessons of modern war, strategy, industrial production, economic coercion and disinformation operations against democratic nations.

To complicate matters further, our great and powerful friend is in the process of breaking the partnerships – and the hearts – of its closest friends and allies through tariffs, a determined effort to denigrate its “pathetic” European partners, demands for access to territory and minerals, and a closer alignment with brutal dictator Putin. The Trump administration’s actions so far with Europe signal that there is trouble ahead, too, for the Pacific.

Defence capability and reform has stalled. According to the 2022 and 2025 portfolio budget statements, over the past three years the Australian Defence Force has declined from 62,063 people to 59,373, causing readiness shortfalls across the force. Defence has, however, managed to grow the number of public servants from 16,991 to 19,863, and the number of senior military officers and bureaucrats by 15 per cent. It employs these bureaucrats in a massive ecosystem of constant committee meetings, slowing decision-making and the removal of creativity from defence thinking.

It has failed to retain legacy military platforms while underfunding many of the innovative uncrewed systems that would give the ADF more military capability. Ukraine has enlightened military institutions around the world in the design, manufacture and deployment of uncrewed systems. Based on my visits to that country and discussions with the head of its new unmanned systems force, Australia is years behind in these endeavours. This puts our people, and our national security, at huge risk. Given these pressing challenges, what should an incoming government do?

First, it must produce a national security strategy. This must include a strategic reappraisal of alliances and security partnerships. It should also ensure that the defence of Australia is a whole-of-nation undertaking, not just a Defence endeavour. Most importantly, a national security strategy should serve as an honest conversation with the Australian people about the perils we face, what our nation needs to do and what resources are required including large increases in defence spending.

A second initiative is building a more resilient nation. This has many components, including communications networks, energy, transport, medicines and food, trusted government institutions, public education and effective state and federal co-ordination mechanisms. It includes an expansion in our ability to build our own military hardware and munitions. There are programs to build a missile industry in Australia, but – over a period greater than it took to win the Pacific War – not a single missile has been delivered. Investment in Australian-made drones, missiles and national security-related software must be priorities.

You can read the full article at this link.