BREAKING: Coalition Pledges Record $21 Billion Defence Boost to Strengthen Australia's Security Posture
In a significant policy announcement, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has committed to a substantial increase in Australia's defence spending, promising an additional $21 billion over five years if elected. This boost would raise defence expenditure to 2.5% of GDP within five years and 3% by the end of the decade, positioning Australia to better respond to escalating regional tensions.
"Australia has an important role to play on the global stage and in our own region. But most importantly, a good Australian government will always invest into keeping us safe," said Dutton during his address in Western Australia.
Speaking alongside Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie, Dutton sharply criticized the current Labor government for allegedly cutting $80 billion from defence through delays and reprioritizations. This investment strategy represents a clear point of differentiation heading into the upcoming election.
"The single most important task for the Australian government is to keep the Australian people safe. It's an incredibly important task, and the Albanese government is failing at it," asserted Hastie, a former SAS officer who would become Defence Minister under a Coalition government.
The announcement comes amid what both major parties describe as the most challenging strategic environment since World War II, with tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and shifting alliance dynamics following Donald Trump's election in the United States.
"If there's a lesson out of Ukraine, it's that you've got to be able to stand up on your own two feet, at least until your allies can come and support you," Hastie emphasized, underscoring the importance of self-reliance in Australia's defence posture.
While specific procurement details remain limited, Dutton indicated priorities would include drone capabilities, guided weapons systems, cyber defences, and reinstating the fourth squadron of F-35 fighter jets. The Coalition also plans to establish a commission to improve defence procurement efficiency, addressing longstanding concerns about bureaucratic processes impeding military readiness.
The funding strategy has raised questions, with journalists pressing Dutton on whether the spending would be offset by foregoing the government's planned tax cuts. Dutton maintained that Labor's "recurrent spend" of approximately $7 billion annually would not feature in Coalition budgeting, allowing fiscal space for defence investments without specifically detailing additional savings measures.
For Western Australia specifically, the announcement represents potential economic opportunities, with Hastie highlighting how AUKUS submarine rotations beginning in 2027 and expanded shipbuilding at Henderson could diversify the state's economy and create skilled local jobs outside the FIFO mining sector.
With the election approaching, this defence pledge forms part of the Coalition's broader campaign narrative of "getting Australia back on track," complementing previously announced cost-of-living measures and housing affordability initiatives against what Dutton characterizes as "Labor's cost-of-living crisis."
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