Coalition cautiously welcomes Interim Defence Force Posture Review

30/01/12

The Coalition has today welcomed the release of the interim Defence Force Posture Review but has warned that any changes arising from the report will not be realised until 2014 at the earliest and that the announcement lacked any funding commitment.

Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Technology and Personnel, Stuart Robert, said the interim report tacitly confirmed the widely held view that Australia would need to increase its military presence in the country’s north and signalled the significant investment required to do so.

‘I welcome the release of the interim Defence Force Posture Review and look forward to the timely release of the full report in the near future. I also wish to thank Dr Hawke and Mr R.C. Smith for their work to date,’ Mr Robert said.

‘I do however remain sceptical regarding the Labor Government’s commitment to the review and its ultimate recommendations.’

‘By tying it so closely with the 2014 White Paper, the Labor Government has effectively postponed any concrete action on the recommendations until 2014 at the very earliest, which is well after the next election.’

Mr Robert was also concerned the Labor Government would be unable to fund any of the recommendations which, according to the interim report, would require significant investment in order for the ADF to be suitably positioned to respond to Australia’s future strategic interests.

‘The biggest question mark over this whole review process will be the Labor Government’s commitment, and dare I say it ability, to fund the recommendations contained in the final review,’ Mr Robert said.

‘Considering Labor promised to deliver an average 3 per cent annual real growth in the Defence budget but has so far only managed to deliver an average 1.3 per cent, I certainly hope that this is not another smoke and mirrors announcement and that the final review will contain costings and a funding commitment from the Labor Government.’