Most Australians would oppose increase in $22bn defence budget
Mark Dodd | April 15, 2009
Article from: The Australian
AUSTRALIANS would oppose moves to boost funding above the current $22 billion budget, a community consultation panel on the forthcoming defence white paper has found.
More than 450 submissions were received ranging from future threats, defence spending, alliances, procurement and the role of the armed forces.
Community support for increased spending on defence fell from 75 per cent in 2000 to 30 per cent last June.
But the panel believes that the support would have fallen further since the global financial crisis.
Expressions of concern were also received about problematic defence programs while some community groups questioned the wisdom of buying Abrams main battle tanks.
Most Australians believe they face no immediate threats but growing concern was expressed about the potential for superpower rivalry with the rise of India and China in the region.
Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon played down the spectre of any future threat to Australia posed by China's rising preeminence.
“All of us collectively believe that China will make an important contribution as a growing power in the region - in an economic sense in particular in the future.
“It's incumbent upon us as international partners to make sure that overwhelmingly that contribution is a positive one,” he said.
There was general support in the community for the Australian Defence Force to make better use of its reserve force.
“Overall, most Australians see the key roles of the ADF as being the securing of Australia's resources including our offshore resources,” said panel chair, former Labor senator Stephen Loosley.
The full White Paper defence blueprint would be released in the “very near future”, Mr Fitzgibbon said.
The Australian understands the paper will be released before the end of the month.
