February 26, 2025
Less than one year since the Defence Minister announced that the Albanese Government would lift Defence spending to 2.4 per cent of GDP, Labor has already broken its own promise.
In announcing the policy in April 2024, Richard Marles stood in front of the National Press Club and said that the lift in spending would “remain the facts of Australia’s strategic policy under the Albanese Government.”
We now know this is not the truth, with Defence officials confirming in Senate Estimates that Defence spending as a share of GDP would only get to 2.33 per cent by 2033-34 – not 2.4 per cent like the Albanese Government promised.
It follows confusion around Pat Conroy’s address to the ADM Congress last week, where he told a room full of defence industry that Defence spending would reach “over 2.3 percent”, rather than 2.4 per cent of GDP.
More dishonesty and trickiness from this weak Labor Government whose incompetence in Defence is now forcing them to walk away from their own commitment.
The Defence Minister should stop hiding under his desk, letting his Department and junior minister do his dirty work, and admit Labor has in fact walked away from their own commitment to spend 2.4 per cent of GDP on Defence.
This shocking backflip by Labor is true to form, and consistent with their approach to Defence which has resulted in more than $80 billion in cuts and delays.
Only a Dutton-led Coalition will get Defence back on track, and spend more on Defence than this weak Albanese Government.
ENDS
