RSL Welcomes Defence Strategic Review Recommendations

The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) has welcomed the release of the Defence Strategic Review and the Government’s apparent commitment to increase the investment in Australia’s military capacity. However, the enhanced capabilities must be as a result of long overdue increased defence spending rather than creating an unbalanced Australian Defence Force (ADF) by ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’.

The RSL and its national membership have long called for additional investment to ensure the ADF is fit for purpose now, and into the future.

RSL Australia National President Greg Melick said recently announced and pending investment would build capability for serving, and future ADF personnel and would be critical to the future success of Australia’s military operations at home and abroad.

“The RSL welcomes the results and recommendations of this extensive review, and while some may question the planned expenditure, it is appropriate for the increasingly uncertain strategic environment Australia now faces,” Greg Melick said.

“One of the key issues that Australia must resolve is to increase the Defence workforce, both frontline and support. This means increased investment to ensure the retention and recruitment of personnel.

“While we support the broad thrust of the review recommendations and particularly the significant upgrading of our Defence capability including the construction of a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines the RSL is deeply concerned at the decision to reduce the resources available to Army.”

Greg Melick said history clearly demonstrated Australia required balanced forces, trained, and equipped for a wide range of contingencies including land-based operations wherever our strategic alliances may cause us to deploy.

“The maritime focus of the review is commendable, but land forces can be called on at short notice and it is discouraging to see the Army not adequately equipped and ready to go.

“The RSL appreciates the significant funding gap and the demands of the Government’s finances but Australia cannot have an under-equipped Defence Force which has too often been let down by significant underspending which as recently as 2013 was a woeful 1.64% of GDP,” he said.