Piers Akerman: ‘Handsome boy’ Albanese defends us with an army of acronyms

Once again China’s military aggression has again exposed Australia as a nation without any credible defensive forces if they needed to be called upon, writes Piers Akerman.

China’s “Handsome boy” Albanese’s weakness was exposed by the Chinese jet fighter’s aggressive flare attack on an Australian Navy helicopter. His much-vaunted special relationship with the Communist Party’s leader-for- life Xi Jinping was exposed as meaningless.

Not that China they need worry about any Australian military response as we don’t have any credible defensive forces. The defence boffins are busily doing what they do best, nothing useful. The brass are currently occupied with the latest Defence Strategic Review (DSR) which has recommended the adoption of a three-tier system to oversee and lead the implementation of its recommendations.

Tier 1 calls for Cabinet-level oversight to ensure the highest levels of strategic direction (blah, blah, blah). Tier 2 calls for external oversight advisers to ensure that defence actions are implemented in accordance with the intent of the DSR (see above) and whatever new brainstorm the government may have. Tier 3 wants a DSR management board, run by defence, to direct all of the above.

The DSR has sub-themes (and I’m not talking about submarines) and priorities which lead to tasks, strategies and objectives plus other prioritised thought bubbles making Barry Jones’ much scorned Noodle Nation look like a model of Euclidean clarity. Bottom line, there is no new military power in immediate terms. Damningly, the missile defence included in the previous review has disappeared.

Simply put, we have no land-based surface-to-air missile defences. Nothing like Israel’s Iron Dome, which has been so successful recently. Our surface-to-air missiles are aboard our three air warfare destroyers. One may be in Sydney, another in Melbourne, the third … who knows? What is obvious is that each ship would run out of missiles in any action and wouldn’t present a serious defence of any city.

The first job of the independent oversight committee should be to put out a simple statement of what the defence force can and cannot do.

It has two years to do so because the DSR calls for another review in 2026. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), which may have its funding cut because the Chinese government finds it offensive, might be a suitable oversight body.

There is also the National Defence Strategy (NDS) under which the implementation of Australia’s Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Enterprise Strategy (NSSES) will be detailed in an updated Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Plan (NSSP) to be released later this year.

The NSSP will be updated biennially in conjunction with the biennial NDS cycle and the Defence Industry Development Strategy (DIDS). DIDS alone has seven Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities (SDIPS) and four Factsheets annexed. Not to be overlooked is the Integrated Investment Program (IIP) and the question of the Enhanced Lethality Surface Combatant Fleet (ELSCF).

The DSR found Australia’s naval capability should contribute effectively to the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) ability to shape our strategic environment, deter potential adversaries and deny their ability to attack our nation – which none of our forces can currently do.

The surface combatant fleet is not fit for purpose, upgrades are needed immediately, and delays will exacerbate the risk our sea lines of communication and maritime trade.

It recommends further analysis, keeping the public servants on Russell Hill, where the defence department sits brooding, busily generating more internal committees so they can look busy.

The whole shebang is at the mercy of the internal politics of the ALP as this Left-leaning Cabinet doesn’t like the idea of a military per se. Defence minister Richard Marles is a lone Labor Right voice in Cabinet and should ask Defence Industry minister Pat Conroy to join him as backup.

Marles needs to keep the AUKUS program central to defence. Incoming Vice Chief of Defence, Air Marshal Robert Chipman, the current chief of Air Force, must deal with this mess.

The new CDF, current Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Vice Admiral David Johnston, will be full on managing the politics of defence.

There is a secret plan being worked on though. A nude unisex defence drumming team (NUDDT) to be revealed at next year’s mardi gras. That should really frighten the Chinese.

Originally published as Piers Akerman: ‘Handsome boy’ Albanese defends us with an army of acronyms