Federal inquiry to probe civil defence preparedness for first time since World War II amid global uncertainty
A Federal inquiry will set up a new plan to prepare Australia for war for the first time since the 1940s amid fears of a conflict in the region.
A new Federal inquiry will assess Australia’s readiness for war amid fears of the nation’s vulnerabilities in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment.
The investigation will be led by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence and will probe the flow of goods and services, including fuel, and the continuity of government during conflict.
It will also examine how everyday Australians, businesses and the larger private sector, as well as all levels of government, can contribute to the nation’s security.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Though Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia had experienced an extended period of peace and stability since 1945, he warned civil preparedness was an area which “should be given attention”.
“To be frank, this is an area which really hasn’t received much attention in Australian public policy since the end of the Second World War,” Mr Marles said on Wednesday.
“But in any contingency, the way in which the civil economy operates and interacts with the defence force is fundamental to a society, to us as a country, being able to manage that contingency.
“Now, it is important that we are able to prepare for that, that we’re able to exercise those muscles, if I could put it that way. And other countries around the world do this.”
The inquiry will also identify “strengths and gaps” in Australia’s national civil preparedness and resilience and look at how other countries have prepared for possible conflicts.
This would include “collaboration with international partners on best practices and how it might be adapted to the Australian context”.
Engaging “every sector” of the economy and civil society was crucial to the “task of defending the nation”, committee chair and Labor senator Deborah O’Neill said.
“Recent conflicts overseas have exposed how quickly Australia’s reliance on the interconnected global economy, and its trade networks, can make us vulnerable to supply chain shocks,” she said.
Deputy chair and Liberal senator Dave Sharma warned Australia’s strategic environment was “deteriorating” and increasing geopolitical risk warranted a “greater degree of resilience, preparedness and self-reliance”.
“This inquiry will contribute to that effort,” he said.
Originally published as Federal inquiry to probe civil defence preparedness for the first time since World War Two
