Why is Defence so little involved in the great defence debate?
In times of global tension, the public needs to understand the purpose of defence, and its costs. But that is hampered by a habit of public risk aversion among the defence leadership.
The federal government has compared our circumstances to those in the lead-up to World War II. Australians are faced with wars in Europe and the Middle East, and tensions in the South China Sea and north-east Asia that may spill over into conflict.
Amidst these generation-defining global challenges, the Australian Defence Force is struggling to upgrade and crew its capabilities. It needs a bigger budget and it needs more people. But, more importantly, it needs to convince the public why they should care about these issues.
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Jennifer Parker is an expert associate at the national security college ANU, an adjunct fellow at UNSW, and associate fellow at the Council on Geostrategy.
