US Demands Australia Spend Big on Defense
Good morning everyone, it's Ben here on a brisk Canberra morning, here's what's making news today.
Today's must-reads:
• US wants Australia to spend billions on defense
• House prices rise after RBA cuts
• No US demands on Port of Darwin, Marles says
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth formally requested that Australia increase its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP in his meeting with Defence Minister Richard Marles on Friday. Currently, Australia is on track to increase its spend to 2.4% of GDP by the mid-2030s. Hegseth used a Singapore forum to pressure its US partners in Asia to boost spending on defense toward 5% of GDP, warning that more urgency is needed to prepare for a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
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