Combat might be launched from Australia: defence chief

Perth Now

2 days ago

Australia's defence force chief warns the nation might need to prepare for launching combat operations from home soil.
Addressing the Australian Strategic Policy Institute defence conference in Canberra on Wednesday, Admiral David Johnston spoke on national preparedness and how the nation could mobilise all of society.
"We're having to reconsider Australia as a homeland from which we will conduct combat operations," he said.
"That, again, is a very different way, almost since the Second World War, about how we think of national resilience and preparedness ... we may need to operate and conduct combat operations from this country."
Admiral Johnston said this included infrastructure in northern Australia, to supply chains, and integrating industry with the states and territories.
Asked about the request made by the US that Australia boost its defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP, Admiral Johnston said Defence was "fully expending its budget at the moment".
"That's a good thing, as we've uplifted our acquisition, delivery workforce is improving our view of what we need to do around readiness, but that does put pressure on a budget that we have to make choices on," he said.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke to Defence Minister Richard Marles about increased spending on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy repeated that the Albanese government was open to the discussion.
PNG's Defence Minister Billy Joseph said while his nation had a strong economic partnership with China, it preferred for regional security to be provided for by the Pacific.
"The security and defence of both Australia and Papua New Guinea are inextricably intertwined," he said.
Dr Joseph noted there were a few "notable" missing countries from the security summit in Singapore who he said should have been there but weren't, including China who did not send its defence minister this year.
On the issue of the use of the ADF in disaster response, Admiral Johnston said the military probably won't be able to provide the community with the support it previously has.
"It is vital that the defence force is able to focus on that mission that has consequences to the training we perform," he said.
The defence strategic review, released in 2023, warned against using the ADF as a domestic disaster recovery agency.
The ADF is increasingly being called on by governments to help in the face of extreme flooding and bushfires.