We will build a strong and capable defence force, which is fit for purpose. The primary aim of government is the safety and security of its citizens, of which a strong and capable Australian Defence Force is imperative. This requires a well-resourced defence force funded at 2% of GDP, with Australia’s national security as the primary focus of all spending decisions. We will pursue efficiencies to eliminate additional costs that were borne for short-term political expediency.
Similarly, the ADF must be allowed to do its job free from the constraints of political correctness and excessive social and cultural sensitivities. We will guard against uniformed ADF personnel participating in political or social activism or decisions that compromise the effectiveness of front-line combat capability. We will cease defence funding of gender re-assignment treatment or surgery and cosmetic surgery or fertility treatment unrelated to training or service injury.
Australia needs its own industrial weapons complex, which will manufacture all our defence needs, from aircraft, military equipment, vehicles and naval vessels. This can be achieved by creating our own designed and manufactured equipment and by inviting weapons manufacturers to open their factories in Australia.
AUKUS will need to be reviewed. At a cost of $368 billion, it is unclear what precisely Australia is getting. Originally, we were intending to buy twelve submarines for $25 billion, but since then the whole matter has escalated out of control and there is no evidence that any submarine is being built for Australia. The fundamental problem with buying a foreign made submarine is, how do you get the parts to fix it and how long will it take, during a war. In Victoria we currently have no submarine pens to dock submarines or service them.
With our debt control policy in mind, which involves Japan. Subject to that proceeding, it would be in our interests to do a deal with Japan to initially buy and then ultimately build Japanese designed submarines in Australia. The advantage of this is, we will build submarine shipwrights and pens to build, harbour, service and repair our own boats. This policy will create tens of thousand of jobs and enable us to train future generations in the submarine building industry. The spin-off ancillary businesses that will be created to support the submarine programme will also create thousands of jobs. All the expense incurred will remain in Australia, directly boasting our economy.
We need to design and manufacture aircraft, including high speck drones. Our air force needs to be substantial, with fighters, bombers and transport aircraft. Modern fighters are very expensive, which due to budget restraints reduces the number of aircraft that you can have. It would make economic sense to purchase older model aircraft from the USA and other countries to supplement our air force, for although a plane may be last years model, it is still a functioning aircraft that would still serve a purpose. This will enable us to have more pilots and provide sufficient numbers of aircraft to make our air force formidable. Australia has previously demonstrated how it can make good use of obsolete aircraft, when they upgraded and maintained a squadron of aging F111 planes.
We already manufacture military vehicles, but this needs to be expanded to include tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. With Germany’s manufacturing in decline, with increasing energy costs, we would like to entice the manufacturers of Leopard tanks to open a facility in Australia or we acquire the rights to build the tanks here.
We need to increase the size of the army, by introducing new regiments, such as the Rangers. We can also import army regiments from the UK, when they decide to decommission a regiment, we can offer the regiment and the personnel the opportunity to relocate to Australia to become part of the ADF.
The Australian Military will once again become fit for purpose, with the eradication of all left-wing ideologies, including wokeism, transgenderism, political correctness and anything else that serves to undermine the professional nature of the military. Any existing personnel that support or promote these unacceptable ideologies will be discharged from the military.
We will reserve all punishments that have been unfairly levelled on our servicemen. All military decorations that have taken from our troops, will be reinstated. This was nothing more than a despicable political stunt, to shift blame from the failures of previous governments, who were more interested in appeasing America, by getting involved in conflicts that had nothing to do with us.
Wars are hell and terrible things happen, especially in war zones that are combating insurgents. It is virtually impossible to tell civilians from combatants and as such mistakes may happen, but no one seems to care when combatants disguised as civilians kill our troops. The simple moral of this is, if you don’t like the idea of accidently killing civilians in a war zone, then don’t get involved in the conflict in the first place. Our fighting men and women need to be assured, that their government has their back, always. For the fighting men on the ground, they must not be left with the quandary about what action to take, because they are second guessing what some nobody politician might think, back home.
Our combat veterans have been prepared to sacrifice their lives for our country, and this should be recognised in service and post-service support and assistance, including medical care, rehabilitation and transition to civilian life. Families of those wounded or lost in action must similarly be given the appropriate care and support to cope with the physical, financial and emotional challenges they face. Care after combat, no more troops left to rot on the street.
Australia needs to play a role in our region and we will forge strategic defence alliances with our regional partners and traditional allies. We will strengthen our existing ties with New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, but will also look to develop closer ties with India, Singapore, South Korea and Japan.
We will consider a form of national service for all our young people to participate in. This concept is still under consideration; whether it be six months to two years duration, part-time or full-time and the age groups that it will affect is yet to be determined. But even six months basic training could have a long-lasting positive effect upon those who participate.
The three main arms of our nations defence will remain and be improved, with more man power, equipment and facilities. As Australia grows as a country our significance will grow on the world stage and we must have the might to back up any issue that we may encounter in the future. We cannot keep relying upon the USA to bail us out, we have to learn to stand on our own and be prepared.
