EDITORIAL: ‘She’ll be right’ won’t cut it in defence policy

We are living in “uncertain times”.

It’s the favourite line of our politicians, used to justify just about anything.

Anthony Albanese used it in the leaders’ debate on Tuesday night, saying now was not the time to risk a change of government. Treasurer Jim Chalmers used it in his recent Budget speech to spruik Labor’s Future Made in Australia renewable energy program.

And it’s true. We are indeed living in “uncertain times”. And the implications of that uncertainty go a lot further than who is the current occupant of the Lodge.

We appear to be approaching a tipping point in relation to our national security. As much as the Prime Minister doesn’t want to acknowledge it, China is ramping up its activities — and aggression — in our region.

Its recent actions in conducting live fire exercises in the Tasman Sea can be seen only as an antagonistic attempt to intimidate Australia with its military might.

That was followed up by the circumnavigation of the continent by a Chinese “research vessel”.

The exercises were clearly designed to demonstrate China’s maritime power and the capabilities of the world’s biggest navy by ship count. They also exposed profound gaps in Australia’s surveillance capabilities and military preparedness.

Meanwhile, Russia too is ramping up its activities in our region. As our politicians bicker about the nature of Russo-Indonesian ties, Australians have been left in the dark as to the facts.

What’s clear is Australia’s decades-old “she’ll be right” attitude towards defence won’t cut it anymore.

We’ve long relied on our allies to do a lot of the heavy lifting in relation to our national security.

But President Donald Trump’s and America First credo mean that the ANZUS Treaty is no longer as rock solid as it once was.His disdain for the nations he regards as security “freeloaders” is clear.

He wants allies to take a greater stake in their own security, and has called on NATO partners to lift their defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP.

The President hasn’t put a number on what he thinks Australia should devote to defence spending, but it’s fair to assume our current 2 per cent spend wouldn’t cut it.

Labor’s target is to lift defence spending to 2.3 per cent of GDP by 2033 — still likely a long way below what is required to adequately protect the nation’s interests.

The Coalition has gone further, with a pledge to increase spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP in the next five years with a target to hit 3 per cent within a decade.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton makes a lot of the fact that he is a former defence minister. But that’s not necessarily a positive for him. The reason we’re in this situation is the failure by successive governments.

Throwing buckets of money at defence is a good start but isn’t enough.

Australians deserve a thoughtful conversation about our defence priorities, and what is necessary to keep us safe in uncertain times.