Latest news with #NorthernAustralia
ABC News
6 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
ADF chief warns Australia must be ready to launch combat operations from home
Australia's Chief of the Defence Force, Admiral David Johnston, says the nation must be prepared for the possibility of having to launch combat operations from its own soil — a significant shift in military thinking not seen since World War II. Speaking at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's Defence Conference in Canberra on Wednesday, Admiral Johnston said Australia needed to "reconsider" how it thought about war, resilience and national preparedness. "Perhaps finally we are having to reconsider Australia as a homeland from which we will conduct combat operations," he said. "That is a very different way — almost since the Second World War of how we think of national resilience and preparedness. "We might need to operate and conduct operations from this country — everything from our northern infrastructure, our supply chains …" Admiral Johnston also pointed to the rapid evolution of modern warfare, highlighting that military technology could become obsolete in as little as 12 weeks, as seen in the Ukraine conflict. "The cycle is somewhere about 12 weeks before tech investments become irrelevant because of counter strategies," he said. "We need to be very clear about where we make investments in our technical capability." His remarks come amid growing international pressure for allies to lift their defence budgets, with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urging Australia over the weekend to boost spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP. Asked about the national conversation around funding, Admiral Johnston laughed but acknowledged the strain on resources and defended the current approach shaped by Labor's recent strategic review of defence. "The Australian community wants education, a health system to look after the elderly, so making sure we do the best we can to present the issues of national security issues in our country, and we do that unambiguously and without avoiding some of those key areas of risk. "Frank advice is key but knowing that's not the only issue the government contends with and working with our partners — where are our common interests — where our interests intersect so we can push outcomes that meet multiple objectives." Pressed specifically on Mr Hegseth's request and the Coalition's calls for higher spending, he said it was an important debate and acknowledged the associated challenges. "Defence is fully expending its budget at the moment," he said. "That's a good thing as we've uplifted our acquisition delivery, [our] workforce is improving … It does put pressure on the budget we need to make choices on." He said it was "helpful" that the government had moved to a biannual strategic review cycle, noting that it allowed Defence to continually update its case about where resources were most needed. "It's unlike in the past … where the frequency or structure of reviews was an open-ended proposition," Admiral Johnston said. "We keep coming back, reviewing the strategy and looking at the opportunities or where the investments are required." Admiral Johnston said he would continue to give frank advice to the government to inform its spending decisions and flagged that Defence was working on a fresh strategy to be released next year. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to attend the G7 summit in Canada in a couple of weeks, where defence spending will likely feature in a potential sideline discussion between Mr Albanese and US President Donald Trump. That meeting is not yet locked in.
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Heartbreak for Aussie families as death toll from 'killer' disease hits 'unprecedented' numbers
A grieving family have warned Australians to take the 'unprecedented' rise in cases of a deadly, soil-borne disease seriously. At least 31 Aussies have died after being infected by tropical disease melioidosis so far this year, with 211 cases recorded across the state. The number of people suffering from the disease, caused by bacteria lurking in mud and dirty water, has seen a significant increase compared to previous years. The family of Evan Brown, who contracted the disease and died in hospital in March last year, warned that Australians should not assume their symptoms are flu. 'That's something we didn't put together and I really wish that we had,' his wife Sarah Brown said. 'I really hope that people can start to hear the message and really understand that it is present - and it's probably going to get worse if we keep having these big flood seasons.' Mr Brown, who was diabetic with an auto-immune condition, thought he had suffered from a virus after being sick on and off for a month before he was admitted to hospital. His organs began shutting down and he was airlifted to the Gold Coast where he eventually passed away. Ms Brown said the rising death toll was incredibly triggering for her family. 'It's been really scary for us because obviously it makes everything very present and very conscious again for us,' she said. The fatal tropical disease, caused by bacteria which lives in water or soil that has been disturbed, is commonly detected in northern Australia. It is seasonal in nature, with cases often occurring during wet season when there has been heavy rain or flooding, such as that seen across Queensland during autumn. Professor Paul Griffin, Mater Health Services' director of infectious diseases, said the extraordinary flooding in north Queensland was a key factor in the surging cases. 'When you see the rainfall and the flooding events that we've had, it was expected that we'd have a potential increase in cases,' he said. 'But I think the magnitude and the number of deaths in particular is a bit of a surprise.' Some medical experts have also suggested the disturbance of soil during the Bruce Highway upgrade could be a contributing factor. 'It's certainly been speculated that there's some clustering of cases around there and that may be a factor,' Prof Griffin said. Infrastructure body Transport and Main Roads, which is responsible for the project, has said previously that they met with researchers about the construction. 'Should health investigations confirm ground-disturbing works are a contributing factor in the spread of soil-borne bacteria causing illnesses, TMR will implement any recommendations from experts to ensure essential road projects meet the highest level of safety,' a TMR spokesperson said. Those with underlying health conditions like diabetes and lung disease, along with people who drink a lot of alcohol, are urged to take precautions. Symptoms include fever, pneumonia, exhaustion, vomiting, abdominal pains and chest pressure. When potentially exposed to contaminated water or handling soil, gumboots, long pants, gloves and masks are recommended.
