DEFENCE AIMS NORTH AFTER KEY REVIEW
Defence strategy heads north in landmark review
Australia will develop a longer-range strike capability for the Defence Force, with a greater focus on co-operation with the Pacific region, under the Federal Government’s response to the Defence Strategic Review. Releasing the Government response with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Defence Minister Richard Marles said the objectives formed two of the six priority areas identified in the response. These also included developing nuclear-powered submarine capability, a strengthening of operations out of bases in northern Australia, a quicker transition of innovative technologies, and investment in retention and recruitment of Defence Force personnel. Mr Marles said the cost of the defence strategic review over the forward estimates would be $19 billion.
Strike missiles to power new focus for Army
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy says that the Federal Government is taking hard decisions in defence, including reprioritising and changing projects as it moved to “modernise” the Army. Mr Conroy announced that to make the Army effective in a littoral environment, the Government would reduce the number of infantry fighting vehicles acquired under the Land 400 project from 450 to 129. He said the money and resources freed up would help to fund the acceleration and expansion of high-mobility artillery rocket systems. The Government would also expand and accelerate the acquisition of land-based maritime strike, and of landing craft to transport army assets. In addition, the Defence Industry Minister said the acquisition of precision strike missiles would provide the Army with a weapon range of more than 500 km, up from the current maximum of 40 km.
ADF not a disaster recovery agency, says report
Australia’s Defence Force should only be the “force of last resort” for domestic aid to the civil community, the report of the Defence Strategic Review has warned. The report said the acceleration of major climate events risked overwhelming the Government’s capacity to respond effectively and was detracting from Defence’s primary objective of defending Australia. It said that Defence was not structured or appropriately equipped as a domestic disaster recovery agency concurrently with its core function.
NDIS facing major shakeup
Ahead of the May 9 Federal Budget, Bill Shorten has flagged major reforms to the administration of the National Disability Insurance Scheme to address the scheme’s spiralling costs. In an address to the National Press Club, Mr Shorten targeted some NDIS providers for over-charging of goods and services, taking advantage of taxpayer-funded packages for doubling and tripling of prices. The NDIS Minister canvassed a trial of blended NDIS payments to provide incentives to achieve outcomes, and also accused the states of a diminishing contribution to the scheme. He said the states should honour their commitment to citizens with a disability by continuing to provide services in health care, education, transport, housing and justice. The October 2022-23 Budget provided total funding for the NDIS of more than $166 billion over four years, an increase of $8.8 billion to cater for expected growth in participants’ plans.
Reserve Bank faces new checks on monetary policy, governance
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the Federal Government will introduce legislation to strengthen the transparency and accountability of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s monetary policy framework. Responding to an external review of the RBA, Dr Chalmers said the legislation would strengthen the central bank’s mandate and clarify that the monetary policy framework would have the dual objectives of price stability and full employment. Two new RBA boards would be created: a monetary policy board, and a governance board to support and oversee management.
Pay up for cyber hack recovery, O’Neil tells companies
Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil says that private companies subject to a cybersecurity breach should wear the costs of recovery. The Minister confirmed to ABC Radio that the Federal Government would seek to defray the costs of any Commonwealth role in victim support and charge back to the companies affected. Ms O’Neil said some of the Australian companies affected were highly profitable and should be doing everything they could to protect the data of customers; in some instances where they were unable to do that, they should pay the costs of recovery. The Minister said she had asked three companies subject to a cyber attack – Medibank, Optus and Latitude – to pay directly for various costs, and they had agreed.