Is Peter Dutton the most important person in cabinet?

Peter Dutton speaks with military personnel at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville. Picture: Max Bree

Australians are suddenly realising that Peter Dutton as defence minister has become arguably the most important person in the cabinet.

Reader reaction to my commentary on Tuesday on the China taunts directed to the poor state of our defences had one common theme – a plea to Dutton to get us out of this mess which longer term is set to exceed Covid-19 in importance.

Dutton has gone from a seemingly vanquished person after he lost the leadership battle to Scott Morrison to a potential national hero, at least in defence circles.

Now of course we are hearing from a group of readers who have an intense interest in defence.

The issues have not been widely canvassed in the popular media. However I think that there has been enough exposure for a majority of Australians to be edgy on defence issues. They understand just how vital the American alliance has become. Many are aware that Chinese submarines regularly operate in waters off our coastline.

In the US a succession of Congressional committees and other independent bodies have set out the dire situation America’s defence forces face because of the failure of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to perform to expectations. But the US defence chiefs have so far been able to turn a blind eye and continue as if nothing has happened.

And in Australia the defence chiefs are just as powerful and have swamped a succession of defence ministers. And our ministers don’t have the information from parliamentary committees and other bodies that matches the US.

That makes Dutton’s task even harder, but our readers have faith in him. Here are just a few of their comments, which includes advice.

* Maybe, just maybe, Dutton will see himself as a man of destiny, who can put things right. No previous minister has ever shown the knowledge and judgment needed to make a small population on a large island capable of defending itself against even larger adversaries. Ancient Sparta comes to mind. Our governments have been weak, ignorant, and intellectually mediocre. Their grasp of history has been feeble. Their narcissism total. Maybe, if we really want our freedom to endure, and if our American friends do too, we will be lucky once again. But it will require steely determination and iron wills. Nothing less will suffice.

* We can only hope that Dutton, an eminently sensible minister, cancels the French submarine and opts for the German one or, if Morrison has the courage, go for the British-American nuclear ones.

* Let’s hope Dutton addresses this submarine issue and then explains to us his reasons for what he decides.

The French design for Australia’s next submarines.

* China’s newer DF-41 has the range to hit Melbourne. We need anti-ballistic missile defences, long-range offensive missiles – as well as a new sub contract. Get on with it. I think this is one of the most worrying times in Australia’s history.

* There are many more problems facing defence than submarines. The gradual but determined destruction of reliable, affordable 24/7 energy production will surely eliminate any possibility of manufacturing in this country – something that you would think is essential if we are to maintain or create a robust, independent defence force. Other than that, the ADF has been in a state of self-flagellation on social issues for years.

* I should imagine (hope desperately) that Dutton is working feverishly trying to expand and build upon the military. We have already seen examples of this. The purchase of the Apaches because the Tigers just didn’t work, and the recent purchase of the Abrams and support vehicles. Perhaps the Loyal Wingman drone series will be finalised within the next couple of years.

* Any conventionally powered submarine system, whether the re-imagined French dreamboat, or the more conventional but proven and cheaper German U-boat, (I am not being deliberately derogatory to either system here) are outdated now and have been for many years.

I believe the only true deterrent system suitable are the tried and tested nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed submarine systems developed by either US-UK or even France.

It beggars belief that the Australian defence department and government could ever have signed up to such a complex, costly unproven design.

One of the RAAF’s F-35A Joint Strike Fighters.

Meanwhile to add to the challenges facing Dutton the chairman of America’s House Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith, reports that the cost to operate an F-35A is approximately $38,000 per flight hour and is not forecast to achieve the rate of $25,000 an hour as promised.

In addition, the complexity of basic repairs and maintenance on the plane is proving to be bigger, costlier, and more frequently needed than expected, The engine is a big part of this problem.

“If the technical challenges are not fixed or we don’t find a way to dramatically increase our repair capacity, 43 per cent of the global F-35 fleet will not have serviceable engines by 2030,” Smith says.

He says the aircraft has a fully mission-capable rate of roughly 40 per cent, meaning the majority of aircraft that are available for training or missions cannot perform all of their assigned mission sets.

Given our dependence in the US, Dutton has to work with the Americans on the options but it’s not easy because many US defence chiefs, like those in Australia, are still in a state of denial.