Pete Hegseth urges Australia to increase defence spending
The Albanese government is warning of increasingly complex and challenging times ahead, driven by rising global security threats.
Richard Marles has met his US counterpart Pete Hegseth in Singapore, marking the Defence Minister's first foreign trip since the election.
The Trump administration has urged Australia to boost defence spending to three per cent of GDP.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute is also advocating for a budget increase.
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Addressing Asia's top security summit in Singapore on Saturday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on his nation's allies in the region to share the burden of deterrence by upgrading their own defences. "There's no reason to sugar coat it," he told the Shangri-La Dialogue. "The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent." Responding to the remarks, Mr Albanese pointed to extra defence spending his government has already committed to. "We'll determine our defence policy, and we've invested just across (the next four years) an additional $10 billion in defence," he told reporters in Hobart on Sunday. "What we'll do is continue to provide for investing in our capability but also investing in our relationships in the region." Defence spending will rise to about 2.3 per cent of GDP within the decade, from the two per cent it currently hovers at. 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Addressing Asia's top security summit in Singapore on Saturday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on his nation's allies in the region to share the burden of deterrence by upgrading their own defences. "There's no reason to sugar coat it," he told the Shangri-La Dialogue. "The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent." Responding to the remarks, Mr Albanese pointed to extra defence spending his government has already committed to. "We'll determine our defence policy, and we've invested just across (the next four years) an additional $10 billion in defence," he told reporters in Hobart on Sunday. "What we'll do is continue to provide for investing in our capability but also investing in our relationships in the region." Defence spending will rise to about 2.3 per cent of GDP within the decade, from the two per cent it currently hovers at. 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Addressing Asia's top security summit in Singapore on Saturday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on his nation's allies in the region to share the burden of deterrence by upgrading their own defences. "There's no reason to sugar coat it," he told the Shangri-La Dialogue. "The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent." Responding to the remarks, Mr Albanese pointed to extra defence spending his government has already committed to. "We'll determine our defence policy, and we've invested just across (the next four years) an additional $10 billion in defence," he told reporters in Hobart on Sunday. "What we'll do is continue to provide for investing in our capability but also investing in our relationships in the region." Defence spending will rise to about 2.3 per cent of GDP within the decade, from the two per cent it currently hovers at. In Singapore at the summit, Defence Minister Richard Marles said the lift represented the "single biggest peacetime increase in defence expenditure in Australia's history". "So we are beginning this journey," he said. "We've got runs on the board." Mr Hegseth said Beijing's military action around Taiwan was "rehearsing for the real deal" in relation to an invasion of the island. Mr Albanese said Australia's position on Taiwan was "very clear" and included a bipartisan stance to support the status quo. China views Taiwan as its own territory, and slammed the US as the biggest "troublemaker for regional peace and stability".
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"In effect, all the facilities covered, the more than 200 facilities covered by the safeguard mechanism are obliged to have a pathway to net-zero," the minister said. The mechanism is a policy designed to limit emissions at Australia's largest industrial facilities in line with the nation's climate targets. Religious leaders in Western Australia have expressed their disappointment at the 40-year expansion given to the energy giant. Reverend Ken Devereux, from the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, said the next test for the government was to make sure the Browse project does not go ahead. Woodside has been trying to get environmental approvals for the $30 billion Browse gas project off the Kimberley coast since 2018. "We believe that moral and ethical choices for the greater good for humanity and creation need to take precedence over the benefits to fossil fuel corporations and the short-term economy," Rev Devereux said. Asked if approving gas projects would make it harder for Australia to win a global climate summit it is bidding to co-host with Pacific Island nations next year, Mr Bowen said these decisions would always be controversial. "I don't deny that, but we'll always set Australia's domestic policy in Australia's domestic best interest," he said. "There's a great opportunity for our country, (it) restores Australia's leadership in climate against the bad years of the decade of denial and delay, (and) shows we're back in a very meaningful way". Turkey is also bidding for the climate talks, with the energy minister hopeful the issue is resolved soon. Mr Bowen said Australia remains on track to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030, despite a small increase in emissions last year. He also ruled out a retrospective domestic gas reservation policy to existing fields. Labor has left the door open to a tax on cement and steel coming in from places not taking sufficient climate action. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said Australia remained on-track to meet its legislated 43 per cent by 2030 emissions reduction target but that the nation needed to do more to achieve it. Asked if a carbon tariff - a tax charged on imports - was still a prospect, Mr Bowen flagged particular sectors were being considered. But consultation with Australian industry was still underway, he added. "I've had lots of meetings with steel makers and cement makers about these things over the past 12 months ... getting their feedback, and we'll have more to say during the course of this term," he told the ABC on Sunday. Mr Bowen said gas giant Woodside will be required to ensure the North West Shelf project meets net-zero emissions by 2050. Woodside hosts Australia's biggest gas export plant, and last week was given approval by the Albanese government to keep operating until 2070. The move has been slammed by environmental groups. "In effect, all the facilities covered, the more than 200 facilities covered by the safeguard mechanism are obliged to have a pathway to net-zero," the minister said. The mechanism is a policy designed to limit emissions at Australia's largest industrial facilities in line with the nation's climate targets. Religious leaders in Western Australia have expressed their disappointment at the 40-year expansion given to the energy giant. Reverend Ken Devereux, from the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, said the next test for the government was to make sure the Browse project does not go ahead. Woodside has been trying to get environmental approvals for the $30 billion Browse gas project off the Kimberley coast since 2018. "We believe that moral and ethical choices for the greater good for humanity and creation need to take precedence over the benefits to fossil fuel corporations and the short-term economy," Rev Devereux said. Asked if approving gas projects would make it harder for Australia to win a global climate summit it is bidding to co-host with Pacific Island nations next year, Mr Bowen said these decisions would always be controversial. "I don't deny that, but we'll always set Australia's domestic policy in Australia's domestic best interest," he said. "There's a great opportunity for our country, (it) restores Australia's leadership in climate against the bad years of the decade of denial and delay, (and) shows we're back in a very meaningful way". Turkey is also bidding for the climate talks, with the energy minister hopeful the issue is resolved soon. Mr Bowen said Australia remains on track to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030, despite a small increase in emissions last year. He also ruled out a retrospective domestic gas reservation policy to existing fields. Labor has left the door open to a tax on cement and steel coming in from places not taking sufficient climate action. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said Australia remained on-track to meet its legislated 43 per cent by 2030 emissions reduction target but that the nation needed to do more to achieve it. Asked if a carbon tariff - a tax charged on imports - was still a prospect, Mr Bowen flagged particular sectors were being considered. But consultation with Australian industry was still underway, he added. "I've had lots of meetings with steel makers and cement makers about these things over the past 12 months ... getting their feedback, and we'll have more to say during the course of this term," he told the ABC on Sunday. Mr Bowen said gas giant Woodside will be required to ensure the North West Shelf project meets net-zero emissions by 2050. Woodside hosts Australia's biggest gas export plant, and last week was given approval by the Albanese government to keep operating until 2070. The move has been slammed by environmental groups. "In effect, all the facilities covered, the more than 200 facilities covered by the safeguard mechanism are obliged to have a pathway to net-zero," the minister said. The mechanism is a policy designed to limit emissions at Australia's largest industrial facilities in line with the nation's climate targets. Religious leaders in Western Australia have expressed their disappointment at the 40-year expansion given to the energy giant. Reverend Ken Devereux, from the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, said the next test for the government was to make sure the Browse project does not go ahead. Woodside has been trying to get environmental approvals for the $30 billion Browse gas project off the Kimberley coast since 2018. "We believe that moral and ethical choices for the greater good for humanity and creation need to take precedence over the benefits to fossil fuel corporations and the short-term economy," Rev Devereux said. Asked if approving gas projects would make it harder for Australia to win a global climate summit it is bidding to co-host with Pacific Island nations next year, Mr Bowen said these decisions would always be controversial. "I don't deny that, but we'll always set Australia's domestic policy in Australia's domestic best interest," he said. "There's a great opportunity for our country, (it) restores Australia's leadership in climate against the bad years of the decade of denial and delay, (and) shows we're back in a very meaningful way". Turkey is also bidding for the climate talks, with the energy minister hopeful the issue is resolved soon. Mr Bowen said Australia remains on track to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030, despite a small increase in emissions last year. He also ruled out a retrospective domestic gas reservation policy to existing fields.
