RSL Australia Calls for Greater Spending and Increased Army Priority in Defence Moves

MEDIA RELEASE

The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) has called on the Federal Government to increase defence spending and ensure that our nation’s Defence Forces are balanced and appropriate for the current unstable strategic environment in our region.

Responding to this week’s major re-organisation of the Army and particularly the northern deployment emphasis, the RSL said the Government must address its earlier decision which saw resources denied to the Army to fund appropriate enhancements to Australia’s Navy and Air Force.

RSL National President Greg Melick says the reality is with current international instability and particularly increased tensions in the Asia Pacific region, Australia should not lose sight of the fact that the nation’s defence capabilities have been grossly inadequate for too many years.

“Australia’s defence spending should immediately rise from the 2.11 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) projected this financial year to at least 3 per cent or more,” Greg Melick said.

“Restricting resources available to the Army to make appropriate enhancements to RAN and RAAF will create an unbalanced Defence Force. These proposed deployment changes may also mean that we will be unable to provide the necessary rotation and concurrency of our forces, significantly further degrading the Army’s capabilities.

“The strategic situation in our region has not been this unstable for 80 years, and successive governments have been derelict in their duty to provide adequate resources for Defence for far too long.

“This latest response to the 2023 Strategic Defence Review provides the opportunity for the current Government to redress this situation.”

Greg Melick said as well as developing our nuclear industry to support the AUKUS submarine program, Australia must also acquire more strategic reserves of fuel, ammunition, and other supplies to provide an adequate safeguard in the event of a defence emergency. It was concerning such reserves had been allowed to remain at such dangerously low levels, but we welcome recent initiatives to increase the local production of ammunition.

“Lifting defence spending and increasing the Army’s priority are necessary steps in ensuring Australia’s defence preparedness and these steps must be taken without delay, there is too much hollowness within the Army,” he said.

“The RSL fully supports the enhancements to the RAN and RAAF, but these should not come at the expense of our Army.

“Our soldiers will continue to play a vital role at the forefront of our nation’s defence, and while the latest announcements regarding deployments and locations are in line with strategic needs, the broader issue of defence spending and the Australian Army’s share of this must be addressed.

“The RSL remains an apolitical patriotic organisation and looks forward to continuing to work with the Government supporting policies to improve and maintain the security of our proud nation.”