Peter Dutton to promise Australia will boost defence spending to the 3% of GDP demanded by Trump administration
Source: The Guardian | Published: April 22, 2025, 11:38 p.m.
Labor’s Richard Marles says announcement is a ‘pathetic whimper’ rather than a defence policy
- Election 2025 live updates: Australia federal election campaign
- Polls tracker; election guide; full federal election coverage
- Anywhere but Canberra; interactive electorates guide
- Listen to the latest episode of our new narrative podcast series: Gina
- Get our afternoon election email, free app or daily news podcast
A Coalition government, if elected, would boost Australian defence spending to the 3% of GDP demanded by the Trump administration of America’s allies, opposition leader Peter Dutton will promise on Wednesday.
The opposition leader, in Perth after an occasionally acrimonious leaders’ debate in Sydney on Tuesday night, will pledge to spend $21bn over the next five years on Australia’s defence, lifting it, as a proportion of Australia’s gross domestic product, to 2.5%.
Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter
Continue reading...