Australia Still at Risk in a War Despite Increased Defence Funding, Think Tank Warns

The government’s plan to add an additional $50 billion (US$33 billion) to defence spending over the next decade will not enable Australia to scale up its defence should there be a threat in the region in the short term, according to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Its latest report says more immediate funding is also needed to ensure the “swift increases in capabilities that the Australian Defence Force [ADF] would need if our region were to deteriorate quickly.” The increases announced in the budget were “directed towards strengthening the Australian Defence Force’s ability to fight in the next decade.” However, the institute stressed that funding was still needed....