Australia’s conservative opposition chief Peter Dutton pledges defence spending increase if elected

Peter Dutton says his celebration would supply the US navy larger entry to northern Australia. File
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters

Australia’s conservative opposition celebration chief Peter Dutton, trailing in polls associated to the Might 3 election, has pledged to spice up defence spending to three% of Gross Home Product (GDP) inside a decade, because the Trump administration pushes allies to spend extra on safety.

“You do not obtain peace via weak spot,” Mr. Dutton mentioned in Western Australia state on Wednesday (April 23, 2025), outlining his Liberal Social gathering’s defence coverage, echoing U.S. President Donald Trump’s line of “peace via energy”.

His celebration would supply the US navy larger entry to northern Australia, he added.

Specializing in the conservative celebration’s energy of nationwide safety within the remaining stretch of the marketing campaign, Mr. Dutton, a former Defence Minister, mentioned if he was elected his authorities would spend A$21 billion ($13.41 billion) greater than the Labour celebration on defence over 5 years to achieve 2.5% of GDP, and three% inside a decade.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labour authorities in 2023 dedicated to spend A$368 billion over three a long time on AUKUS, Australia’s largest ever defence mission with the US and Britain to accumulate nuclear-powered submarines. The Labour celebration has beforehand mentioned it could raise defence spending by A$50 billion over a decade, however pledged no new cash on this 12 months’s Nationwide Funds.

The Liberal celebration’s defence spokesman Andrew Hastie, a former particular forces officer in Afghanistan, instructed reporters the defence drive was struggling a recruitment and retention disaster.

“We’re going backwards on AUKUS, this can be a multi-generational nation-building endeavour and they’re failing,” he mentioned.

Mr. Hastie’s Western Australian citizens is close to the His Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Stirling base the place a rotating fleet of 4 United States Virginia assault submarines and a British Astute submarine might be based mostly from 2027.

Western Australia must raise coaching, and divert mining staff to AUKUS submarine development, he mentioned.

Australia’s lesson from Ukraine was that nations want to face on their very own two ft, he mentioned.

“With the election of President Trump, America is transferring to an America First posture. We nonetheless have a powerful relationship with the US however we won’t take something without any consideration,” he added.

Mr. Dutton mentioned the Liberals might pay for the elevated defence spending as a result of their election pledges for value of residing aid — the highest subject for voters — are momentary measures.

The Labour’ partys defence spending is forecast to achieve 2.33% of GDP in 2033-34.

“We’ll proceed to have a look at what’s the acceptable stage of defence spending to have,” Defence Minister Richard Marles mentioned in a tv interview with 9‘s Immediately Present.