Calls for Australia to join NATO after Russia’s launches Ukraine war

A Gold Coast intelligence analyst who spent more than a decade working with NATO says despite its ‘North Atlantic’ name, Australia should consider joining the military alliance.

A Gold Coast man who spent more than a decade working with NATO says Australia should take steps towards joining the organisation.

Adam Hammond, a special operations intelligence analyst and military academic with 11 years experience teaching with NATO in Belgium, said the military alliance should consider dropping its “North Atlantic” moniker and allow Australia and New Zealand to become members.

Mr Hammond said the AUKUS agreement with the United States and United Kingdom was a “step in the right direction”, but Australia should go further and seek a formal agreement with NATO.

“Being an intelligence analyst I look at the assumptions that the world was operating under when NATO was formed and called NATO,” Mr Hammond said. “It was because Russia’s sphere of influence only existed in that area. Russia’s sphere of influence is so much bigger now.

“Secondly, as a deterrent in our own back yard, I think it’s great to have that acronym AUKUS, but if you’re going to go that far, why not go the whole hog and actually publicly declare formal ties with NATO.

“There’s something to be said for ScoMo and co to put your big boy shorts on and get on with it, declare more formal ties with NATO with potentially the idea of joining.”

Mr Hammond said the alliance’s principle that “an attack against one ally is an attack against” all was a “big deterrent” that would be invaluable should Australia be attacked.

It would also mean Australia would be expected to commit troops should a NATO ally be attacked in Europe, but Mr Hammond said this is something that has historically always taken place in any case.

“My grandfather fought in North Africa and Cyprus for five years. He’s an Australian. That’s not his back yard,” Mr Hammond said.

“His dad and his dad’s uncle fought in both wars, in all kinds of places. This is nothing new for Australia.”

The analyst added that Australian troops would benefit from enhanced training opportunities provided by full NATO membership.

“Another key point is the training and interoperability aspects in actual Northern Hemisphere conditions that a tighter NATO alliance would offer,” he said.

“I’m seeing a lot of cold weather operations posts among my military contacts. Every Brit Royal Marine and most USMC (United States Marine Corps) have had real winter training and it’s business as usual for many European countries. Yet the average Aussie infantry digger has never experienced real cold.

“Australia deployed personnel with no cold weather training to abominably cold conditions in both World War 1 and II. There’s no reason to do it again given NATO’s training infrastructure.”

Defence minister Peter Dutton. Picture: Lachie Millard.

Mr Hammond’s call comes after defence minister Peter Dutton on Anzac Day warned Australia needed to “prepare for war”.

In the wake of the comments, security analysts warned Australia was not properly equipped for a conflict with China.

Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles also raised concerns about the nation’s readiness.

“We are at a moment in our history where our strategic circumstances are as complex as any point since the end of the Second World War, and we certainly need to prepare,” Mr Marles said. “But we have not seen the preparation under this government.”

Labor shadow minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong also on Tuesday launched the party’s Pacific policy, promising to increase foreign aid to island nations and “restore Australia’s place as first partner of choice for our Pacific family”

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