Labor running out of excuses for inaction on defence spend

Henry Ergas has outlined our current government’s woeful attitude towards Australia’s national defence, so much so that it beggars two questions (“Israel’s successes expose our feeble defence mindset”, 27/6).

Is it just incompetence or a deliberate attempt to ensure we are unable to defend ourselves properly? We admire Israel for its determination to ensure its survival against a ruthless enemy whose aim is to destroy it and all who live in it.

When you look at Australia’s current status, what is the Albanese government’s objection to creating a proper, viable defence force, a commonsense notion that should be its first priority as a government, not the last.

Is it an effort to make us sacrificial lambs, changing our society and inviting the imposition of a system that has seen nothing but failure and dictatorship?

Julie Tadman, Upper Caboolture, Qld

The success of the NATO meeting is not just the agreement of the participants to urgently increase defence expenditures to at least 3.5 per cent of national GDP but also the huge boost to the morale and unity of that alliance. If Australia is to save our ANZUS alliance, we need to act now.

The logical starting point would be to scrap the planned $17bn tax cuts (over two years); add on $3bn and factor in an extra $20bn to the defence budget over that same period.

That would increase expenditure to 2.3 per cent of GDP and help defuse our current dilemma while giving us more time to plan our way to more than 3 per cent of GDP. The extra cost would be only $3bn and taxpayers would lose, on average, just $5 a week.

If a poll were to be held, surely most Australians (and the opposition) would support that modest move given the current threat to our crucial alliance.

David Burt, Quindalup, WA

While I agree with Henry Ergas that “Israel’s success exposes our feeble defence mindset”, I must point out that Australia and Israel are very different.

Israel is tiny, smaller than the ACT, bordered by potential enemies, under attack, populated by citizens united in the need for defence and willing to help, and led by patriotic realists. Little of this is true here.

As Ergas says, our government seems to think all we need is skilled diplomats who, if trouble starts, can negotiate de-escalation and convince half-crazed ideologically driven religious or political fanatics to calm down, chat rationally and be friends.

Sadly, in this it is supported by a large part of the community who live in a dream world in which modern Australia just happened, peace will reign eternally and everyone will be nice to us if we are nice to them.

History tells us otherwise, and unless we learn from it and act accordingly we could be in for a rude shock.

Doug Hurst, Chapman, ACT

Much has been written of late of our Prime Minister’s difficulties in meeting the US President.

Another opportunity for Australia was lost during the NATO meeting, when Defence Minister Richard Marles missed the boat.

May I suggest a sure way Anthony Albanese could meet Donald Trump? It would be as simple as contacting Greg Norman and asking him to invite Trump to Australia to address our parliament and afterwards play a few rounds at some of our spectacular golf courses such as those in the Melbourne Sandbelt. I’m sure Joe Hockey would have Norman’s phone number, which he would happily pass on to Albanese.

It should not be too difficult to catch up on such a visit.

John Egan, Pymble, NSW

I have seen many governments come and go.

I have voted, paid taxes without cutting corners, and run a small business for 50 years. I am bitterly disappointed in the current Labor government and, in particular, our Prime Minister.

It is beyond belief that he not only insults our greatest ally but sends Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles to represent him in The Netherlands while he cosies up to China.

Has he no concept of the absence of our country’s genuine defences while he and Energy Minister Chris Bowen chase the impossible dream of net zero?

I worry for the future of young Australians. How can we leave them so exposed?

Kerry Christie, Claremont, Tas