DEFENCE POLICY – AUSTRALIA

‘Stronger together’: Congress pushes AUKUS before Morrison hearing

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Original article by Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 23-Jul-25

Australia’s former prime minister Scott Morrison will shortly appear before the US House of Representatives’ Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. Morrison will testify about China’s use of "economic coercion", amid the Pentagon’s ongoing review of the AUKUS alliance. The committee is headed by Republican John Moolenaar and Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi, who have stated that all three members of the alliance are stronger because of it. They also contend that AUKUS will be vital to containing China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.

CORPORATES
REPUBLICAN PARTY (UNITED STATES), DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES)

PM blowing up our defence hopes

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 1-Jul-25

The federal government struck a deal with the Biden administration in 2024 to purchase $7bn worth of guided missiles for its fleet of warships. However, the deal has yet to receive final approval from the White House, and there are fears that the Trump administration could redirect the consignment of missiles to a US ally that is willing to meet its demands regarding defence spending. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is continuing to resist pressure from the US to increase defence expenditure to 3.5 per cent of GDP; he is adamant that the government will stick with its target of just 2.3 per cent by 2033.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

AUKUS under threat as Trump launches review

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: Online : 12-Jun-25

The US Department of Defense has confirmed that it will undertake a review of the AUKUS alliance with Australia and the UK. The Pentagon says the review will aim to ensure that the alliance is in the best interests of the US and that it aligns with the ‘America First’ agenda of President Donald Trump. The review is expected to be led by defence official Elbridge Colby, who has been a notable critic of AUKUS in the past; amongst other things, he has previously stated that the alliance’s benefits and viability is "questionable". Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is likely to come under pressure to obtain a firm commitment to AUKUS from Trump if the two leaders meet on the sidelines of the upcoming G7 summit in Canada.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. DEPT OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Income tax rise to fund Dutton’s $21b for defence

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Original article by Michael Read, Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 24-Apr-25

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has justified his decision to delay announcing his defence policy until the final weeks of the election campaign. Dutton says he wanted to wait until the Coalition had a better understanding of the state of the nation’s finances and how much money it could spend on defence if it wins the 3 May election. Dutton has confirmed that a Coalition government would aim to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP over five years, and three per cent over the next decade. He has also revealed that the proposed $21bn increase in defence spending will be funded by repealing the ‘top-up’ income tax cuts that Labor unveiled in its pre-election budget in March, and which are slated to take effect in mid-2026.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Dutton’s march to a war footing

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Original article by Ben Packham, Greg Sheridan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 23-Apr-25

Opposition leader Peter Dutton will announce details of the Coalition’s defence policy in Perth today. Amongst other things, the Coalition will propose to increase defence spending to 2.4 per cent of GDP by the fourth year of the budget’s forward estimates period, and to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030. The Coalition’s ultimate aim will be to lift defence expenditure to three per cent of GDP over the next decade, in line with the Trump administration’s push for America’s allies to meet this benchmark. The Coalition will also commission a new national security strategy, with Dutton noting that the world has changed significantly since the last such strategy was prepared a decade ago.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Australia should persist with AUKUS despite risk of US relationship ‘becoming unstuck’, former defence department secretary says

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Original article by Ben Doherty
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 1-Apr-25

Dennis Richardson has told a Security and Sovereignty conference organised by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull that Australia should stick with the $368 billion AUKUS submarine deal. Richardson, who is a former secretary of both the defence and foreign affairs departments, says this is despite the US becoming a "less reliable and a more demanding ally" under Donald Trump’s second administration. He said that acquiring nuclear submarines was in Australia’s national interest, while Turnbull told the conference that Australia’s relationship with the US had been "irrevocably altered" by the new Trump administration.

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Liberal backbenchers urge Coalition not to raid foreign aid budget to pay for rumoured $15bn defence boost

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Original article by Henry Belot
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 25-Mar-25

Recent media reports suggested that the Coalition may be open to increasing defence expenditure by at least $15bn a year if it wins the federal election. Some Liberal MPs have expressed concern that funding may be redirected from foreign aid to boost defence spending. A Liberal backbencher has warned that China may step in to fill the funding void if Australia were to reduce foreign aid to its neigbours in the Pacific region. The UK government recently opted to reduce foreign aid in order to increase defence spending, while the Trump administration has paused foreign aid.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Chinese expose navy’s chronic decline

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 25-Feb-25

Analysis shows that the Royal Australian Navy has retired 14 surface ships from service since the federal government took office in May 2022. Four new patrol boats have been added to the navy’s fleet over this period, and the navy now has just 25 surface vessels. Former rear admiral Rowan Moffitt says the navy is in "serious, accelerating and chronic decline", although he emphasises that this has been developing for more than two decades. The strength of the nation’s defence force has been under scrutiny in the wake of revelations that the Chinese navy has conducted live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea.

CORPORATES
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY

US on track to sell us Virginia-class subs

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 5 : 23-Oct-24

Democrats congressional representative Joe Courtney has downplayed suggestions that the US government may adopt an alternative model for the AUKUS alliance. Veteran naval analyst Ronald O’Rourke recently proposed a so-called ‘Plan B’, whereby the US would retain ownership of Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines rather than selling them to Australia. O’Rourke contended that this would allow the federal government to redirect billions of dollars to other defence programs. Courtney says he is not aware of any discussions in Congress regarding the O’Rourke plan, and he contends that the current AUKUS arrangement largely has bipartisan support.

CORPORATES
DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES)

AUKUS originals to embrace threesome – that’s the pillar talk

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 18-Sep-24

The three founding members of the AUKUS alliance are not expected to expand the nuclear submarines component of the defence pact to include other nations. However, the political leaders of Australia, the US and the UK will indicate on Wednesday that they may be open to inviting South Korea, New Zealand and Canada to participate in the ‘Pillar II’ phase of the defence pact, which will focus on military technology. They have previously flagged the possibility that Japan could be invited to join Pillar II. The leaders’ statement will be issued to mark the third anniversary of the alliance. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will also discuss progress on AUKUS at the upcoming four-nation Quad leaders’ meeting in the US.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET