Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister Richard Marles have responded to the release of the Defence Strategic Review — one of the most significant Defence documents since World War II.
Look back on Monday's updates.
Key events
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Live updates
Stay up to date with the latest news and analysis
By Bridget Judd
This is where we'll leave our live coverage for today, but thanks for following along.
You can catch up on Monday's developments below, or download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest news.
You can also catch up on the main wrap by political reporter Jake Evans.
There will be a 'short, sharp' review of Australia's combat surface fleet
By Bridget Judd
The ABC's defence correspondent Andrew Greene says it's understood former US Navy Vice Admiral William H. Hilarides will lead the review.
It will report later this year.
Review shows climate risks 'require stronger action'
By Bridget Judd
As my colleague Jess mentioned a short time ago, the review also warned that the acceleration of climate change risked “overwhelming” Defence, as nations increasingly grew reliant on defence forces for disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
The Australian Security Leaders Climate Group (ASLCG) has welcomed the incorporation of climate-related security risks into the DSR.
“On current warming trends, our region will face a severe and destabilising food and water crises, driving conflict and forced migration," says former Defence Force Chief Admiral Chris Barrie.
"The security landscape will be far different from that which exists today. New initiatives for stronger regional cooperation in the face of this greatest threat to the human future are urgently needed.”
Are the solutions outlined in the review adequate for our defence?
By Bridget Judd
Australia could well be on its own in a major conflict. The Ukraine war has demonstrated that our allies have limited weapon stocks and munition stock for even a restricted conflict. Shipping lanes may well be blocked, so our minimal fuel reserves will quickly be exhausted. So, basing our defence on high tech solutions that we cannot manufacture and support in-country will only provide a short term solution at best. The review has noted that insufficient warning time is likely to be available to develop those in-country manufacturing and support capabilities. So, are the solutions outlined in the report really adequate for our defence?
- Carl Prowse
Thanks for the question Carl, we've put it to to the ABC's foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic.
Stephen: That's a fair point. Australia is in a bit of a bind here. It's absolutely true that Australia's supply chains are vulnerable, and our distance from close allies like the United States makes our position even more perilous.
As you mention, experts have long raised the alarm about the nation's fuel reserves, which are clearly inadequate. The government has made it clear it wants to build up our self-reliance on multiple fronts, and that includes building up our own domestic defence industry.
But there are also limits to what Australia can do on its own, particularly as the pace of military technological progress continues to pick up. The reality is that Australia can only get its hands on the latest technology through agreements with friends and allies — and primarily the United States.
One more thing: building up local manufacturing expertise is also time consuming. Time is another luxury we might not have right now. There are no easy solutions here!
Climate change threatening to 'overwhelm' ADF
By Jessica Riga
I want to go back and unpack a topic which was mentioned during the press conference about the Australian Defence Force's response during natural disasters.
The review warned that the acceleration of climate change risked "overwhelming" Defence, as nations increasingly grew reliant on defence forces for disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
It said state and local government must be prepared to respond to "all but the most extreme domestic disaster[s]" themselves, with Defence available as a last resort, or else it threatened to detract from its "primary objective": defending Australia.
"We know that one of the national security issues we are dealing with is climate change," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
"There will need to be further consideration of how we deal with these natural disasters."
Albanese said he was confident Australia was right to re-posture, and paid credit to those who helped prepare the review.
"Tomorrow, of course, we will commemorate through Anzac Day, all of those men and women who serve in uniform, to defend our nation, to defend our sovereignty and our freedom," he said.
"We thank those who have done that in the past, but we also honour those who have done it today."
WATCH: Anthony Albanese hails review as 'most significant' work since WWII
By Bridget Judd
Trajectory of Defence spending expected to go even higher
By Bridget Judd
As we heard a little earlier, the cost of the Defence Strategic Review over the forward estimates will be about $19 billion.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said that was "already provided for in the budget", but that $7.8 billion would be reprioritised.
The ABC's defence correspondent Andrew Greene says the government will need to find more funding in the long-term.
Andrew: The next four years, things are pretty much as they've been locked in. What's going to get interesting is in the next decade, they're going to need to find more dollars, and there's certainly an indication today — a new indication — that that trajectory of Defence spending, which is already going up, is going to go up even higher or steeper in that curve.
You can read the Defence Strategic Review here
By Bridget Judd
Former defence minister Stephen Smith and former defence chief Sir Angus Houston were tasked with the DSR.
You can find the link to the declassified public version here.
There are people who will be 'rightly concerned' about changes to army
By Bridget Judd
Bec Shrimpton is the director of defence strategy and national security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
Speaking on ABC News, she says there will be a lot of people who are "rightly concerned" about some of the changes to the army.
Bec: Because there's a balance to be struck here between making army more agile and nimble — more like something of a US Marine Corps, for example — and maintaining those classic army capabilities that you need for conventional land warfare.
"And frankly, we do still need those. We'll always still need those. So, yes, we want an army that can operate more effectively...
"Ultimately, a lot of wars are won and lost on the ground with really quite traditional kit. So there's a balance to be found here for army and, again, for that integrated force."
WATCH: Defence Minister Richard Marles announces Defence overhaul
By Bridget Judd
Just joining us? Here's what you need to know
By Bridget Judd
That's a wrap on the press conference out of Canberra, so let's recap today's announcement:
- The Defence Strategic Review says Australia is entering the "missile age", and is no longer as protected by its geography or the limited ability of other nations to project power
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More than any other service, the army will undergo major changes and be re-equipped to operate missile technology
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Defence’s focus will shift to Australia’s north and the seas, as army becomes more focused on land-to-maritime capability, including through long-range strike power
- The federal government has agreed to the recommendations, and flagged it would have to increase defence spending above already committed increases in coming years
You can read the full story by political reporter Jake Evans.
Defence minister: 'We are going to need to encourage thousands more people to take up this opportunity'
By Bridget Judd
As we heard a little earlier, the review has recommended recruiting more Defence personnel.
In light of the royal commission into veteran suicides, the defence minister is asked how he can assure Australians "that the culture is right for people to choose that as their career"?
Mr Marles says he believes "there is an excellent culture within Defence".
"And I think that it is about telling that story to the Australian people and to young people in particular about the opportunities available for them in being part of that team, and in serving our nation by wearing our nation's uniform and the skills that are acquired through having the experience of working in our Defence Force," he says.
"But we are going to need to encourage thousands more people to take up this opportunity over, you know, a significant period of time."
No further comment on the Natural Disaster Agency
By Jessica Riga
Reporter: Is a federal civilian Natural Disaster Agency still on the table to ensure that the ADF is a true last resort? Or better cooperation with the states that's there?
Anthony Albanese: We've got a pretty big announcement for today. I think that this will do for today, frankly. We're dealing with it pretty comprehensively and this is what we're dealing with today.
Reporter: It is not a new one.
Albanese: You get one question, Paul.
Reporter: It's the same question.
Albanese: You might not like the answer. But come tomorrow, there will be an Anzac Day event. Wednesday there will be another event. If you come to National Cabinet on Friday, you'll see other events today. What we're doing today is the Defence Strategic Review.
PM asked about the United States' reliability as an ally
By Jessica Riga
Reporter: You mentioned the need for greater self-reliance and you said that we can just rely on old assumptions. What is your assessment of, in the decades ahead, the US's reliability as an ally? And whether there's any risk of isolationism growing in the decades ahead?
Anthony Albanese: The US remains an important ally. It's a relationship between nations. It's a relationship between peoples and it's based upon our common values.
Review says Defence too focused on being 'perfect' and not prepared to take more risk
By Bridget Judd
Mr Marles is asked what is likely to change to ensure outcomes are improved "without ending up leaning too far towards risk".
He says the review has observed that in the past, "the pursuit of the perfect has often been done at the expense of time".
"And there is an opportunity cost and a capability cost associated with that. So we need to rebalance that. It's also important, I think, that we change our relationship with risk. In order to get capabilities online quicker, we do need to be taking or accepting more risk in engaging procurement.
"Now, we're really aware of the legacy in a sense of that we have from those who have been operating in this space in the years past, and Defence Ministers have stood up here and talked about the fact that we need a more nimble and quicker procurement process, and in a sense, we're doing the same today."
What's the future of the port of Darwin?
By Jessica Riga
Reporter: Mr Marles, given the greater focus on operating from northern Australia, what is the future of the port of Darwin?
Richard Marles: The Port of Darwin has its own process ... so I'll leave the response to that process when it is ultimately conclued.
Defence Force can't be expected to handle bushfires, floods and even COVID
By Bridget Judd
The PM is asked about sections of the report which were critical of the increasing use of the Defence Force for domestic disaster responses, such as bushfires, floods and COVID.
The report suggests that state and local governments and the Commonwealth should put in the plans, resources and capabilities to do this separately to Defence.
Mr Albanese says "the role of the Australian Defence Force is primarily not to deal with our natural disasters and those domestic issues".
"As a result of this review and the transparency in which we've conducted it, obviously, there will need to be further consideration of how we deal with these natural disasters," he says.
"We need to, as a government, and as a nation, work out an appropriate response and the review is really indicating very clearly that the context can't be just saying 'Oh, well, we'll rely upon the Defence Force'.
"The Defence Force are always very willing to participate, it must be said. And they have done an extraordinary job and will continue to do so. But the review indicates that there's a need to consider the broader issues in that context."
PM fields questions on Taiwan, says position hasn't changed
By Jessica Riga
Reporter: The declassified version of this report does not discuss the possible invasion of Taiwan. In a scenario like that in our Indo-Pacific region, what of the recommendations here changes any possible Australian response to that eventuality, if it were to occur?
Anthony Albanese: Our position is clear, which is that we support the status quo. And that's not changed by this. We call for peaceful resolution through dialogue. That's not changed by this.
Nuclear-powered submarine has some implications for 'overall structure of the Navy'
By Bridget Judd
We're moving to questions now.
The Defence Minister is asked what assurances the government can give local industry.
Mr Marles says the DSR "makes really clear the need for Australia to maintain a continuous shipbuilding capability in this country".
"That means both at the Osborne naval shipyard in Adelaide, but also at Henderson in Perth. And we have accepted that recommendation and we are completely committed as a government to Australia having a continuous shipbuilding capability," he says.
"We do feel, as the review has recommended, that there is merit in having a short condition check at this moment in time about the future shape of our surface fleet."
He says the current surface fleet was determined at a time "when Australia was still pursuing a diesel-electric powered submarine".
"Now that we are going to be operating a nuclear-powered submarine, that is a dramatically different capability and it obviously has some implication in terms of the overall structure of the Navy, not only as we think about the next decade, but as we think about the next three decades," he says.
"And the second is that the Defence Strategic Review has observed that Navies around the world are moving in the direction, to put it kind of crudely, of having a larger number of smaller vessels."
Defence Industry Minister: 'We're being honest and transparent'
By Jessica Riga
Pat Conroy, the Defence Industry Minister, says the government's response is "a vote of confidence in the Australian defence industry."
"As the Deputy Prime Minister said, this review and government's response involves taking hard decisions," he adds.
"The last government cut $12 billion from defence since 2016 and added $42 billion of additional spending commitments without a single other project being changed.
"We are being honest and transparent with the Australian people in saying that we do need to reprioritise and that includes changing some projects.
"This is about giving the Australian Army the fire power and mobility it needs into the future to face whatever it needs to face."
