Anthony Albanese flags defence spend hike to do ‘what is ‘necessary’
The Prime Minister used a press conference in New Delhi to flag the increase in defence spending to more than 2pc of GDP.
Anthony Albanese has pledged to lift defence spending and do “what is necessary” to help pay for the huge cost of acquiring a new fleet of nuclear submarines, declaring that defence was a “solemn responsibility of government.”
The Prime Minister used a press conference on Friday morning in New Delhi to flag the increase in defence spending to more than 2 per cent of GDP, and revealed that some details on the rising cost of national security could be released before the May budget.
“We will need a minimum of 2 per cent of GDP,” he said. “But I expect that defence spending will increase. We’ve been saying that consistently.
“We need to make sure that we invest more in our defence … You don’t just pluck a figure out to get a headline in a newspaper. What we do is invest in what is needed.”
Ahead of the announcement of the details of the nuclear submarine fleet in San Diego in the US next week where he will meet with AUKUS leaders, including US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Mr Albanese suggested that the extra defence spending could be revealed ahead of the May 9 budget.
“I don’t want you to have nothing to do and put your feet up before the budget,” he said. “We’ve made it very clear when we speak about the pressures that are on the budget that one of the areas is defence.”
He also urged Peter Dutton to rally behind any increase in defence spending, saying the Coalition had “seemed to oppose everything”.
“This does have to be paid for,” he said. “The defence of our country is a solemn responsibility of government. And it is one that I take seriously.
“This is an investment in our security and we will do what is necessary to keep our country secure.”
He also said that India was free to develop its own relationships with other nations – including Russia – as it saw fit, but that it was also a “friend of Australia” and it was critical how Australia developed relationships with other nations in the Indo-Pacific.
“India is an important democracy. India stands up for democracy and I think that relationship is a very positive one,” he said. “India is a great democracy. To dismiss that is, I think, wrong.”
Mr Albanese started his second full day India by laying a wreath at Raj Ghat to pay respect to Mahatma Gandhi, declaring it was a privilege to represent Australia in paying “tribute to one of the giants of the 20th century.”
Raj Ghat, located on the West Bank of the Yamuna Rover in Delhi, was where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated in January 1948 with this year marking 75 years since his death.
Mr Albanese will then hold a meeting with the Indian Minister for External Affairs, Dr Jaishankar, before his annual leaders meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Friday evening he will give a keynote address at the Indian Institute of Technology where he will outline “the way forward for our relationship … and in particular how we take advantage of our respective governments’ move towards clean energy economies.”
He is also expected to sign agreements with Mr Modi on the three themes of deeper cultural ties, economic and national security cooperation.
Mr Albanese said there would be an agreement on clean energy and solar, arguing there were “enormous opportunities” and that one of the major Indian companies he had spoken to was looking at investing billions into Australia for the manufacture of solar panels.
Mr Albanese said he was looking forward to hosting Mr Modi in Australia in the first half of the year for the QUAD leaders’ meeting with the leaders of the US and Japan.
He also said he would return to India in September for the G20 leaders meeting and revealed that Mr Modi had invited him to return again to “undertake another bilateral visit to other regions in India at the end of the year.”
Mr Albanese did not say whether he would accept the invitation, but if he did it would be the third visit by Mr Albanese to India in 2023.
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