Australia Bulks Up

The Australian government unveiled its latest initiative to address the shifting defense and strategic landscape of the country. On April 24, the unclassified version of the Defense Strategic Review (DSR) was released. This review was commissioned within the first 100 days of the new Labor government, led by Anthony Albanese, which assumed power on May 23, 2022. The document is the first significant review of the Australian military’s capability, posture and preparedness since the 2016 Defense White Paper under the coalition government led by Malcom Turnbull of the conservative Liberal Party. (For more on that document, see Military Periscope’s report, “Australia Lays Out Its Long-Term Defense Plans.”). In 2020, the Department of Defense updated its strategy and force structure plans, aligning them with the rapidly evolving strategic environment of Australia, surpassing the expectations outlined in the 2016 white paper.

The DSR is the fourth major defense strategy document since 2009, marking the first time Australia has identified the rise of China and its growing defense spending as a challenge in the Indo-Pacific region. As with its predecessors, the new review focuses on determining the best way forward amid the regional competition between China and its long-time security ally, the United States.

To read more of Military Periscope's latest report, click here.