Bangkok In purely geographical terms, there is hardly a head of government who is further from the Ukraine war than Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. But despite the physical distance, the conservative politician sees considerable cause for concern for his country: Authoritarian regimes are intent on changing the status quo in the world according to their own rules, warns Morrison – meaning not only Russia but also China. He is now sending a clear signal that his country does not want to stand idly by.
In a military base near the east coast metropolis of Brisbane, Morrison announced a massive expansion of the Australian armed forces on Thursday: the troop is to be expanded by a third and thus become larger than at any time since the end of the Vietnam War, the 53-year-old explained.
The equivalent of around 25 billion euros are to be invested in this. By 2040, according to government plans, the Australian defense force will have grown to more than 100,000 people. The number of soldiers is to increase by 18,500 to 80,000.
“Our world is becoming increasingly insecure, so it is important that we take action now to protect our people and our national interests for decades to come,” said Morrison, who is currently seeking a third term. His administration has “always a clear eye on the threats we face as a liberal democracy in the Indo-Pacific”.
Top jobs of the day
Find the best jobs now and
be notified by email.
Australia must hold general elections by May 21 at the latest. In opinion polls, Morrison’s centre-right alliance is currently behind the opposition Labor party, which wants the transfer of power.
Election campaign with criticism of China
Morrison recently tried to score points with the voters with sharp criticism of China – and also presented himself as an active supporter of Ukraine: An Australian missile delivery to the government in Kyiv had already been delivered.
Defense Minister Peter Dutton described the troop expansion that has now been decided as a consequence of the Russian invasion, which he linked to a military threat from China the same for China: “Anyone who thinks that ambition is limited to Taiwan just doesn’t understand the lessons of history,” Dutton said.
In his view, an army with a “deterrent effect” is therefore necessary. With the expansion of the military, Australia is also becoming a more credible partner for the USA and Great Britain: “If we want to rely on them, they must also be able to rely on us.”
Australia, Britain and the United States signed the Aukus defense pact last year, under which Australia is to receive nuclear-powered submarines. Nuclear submarines can stay underwater for months, covering great distances.
The technology, which apart from the Americans and British is only available to China, Russia, India and France, would significantly improve Australia’s strategic position in the Indo-Pacific. Earlier in the week, Morrison announced the construction of a new base on the east coast to house the nuclear submarines. Estimated construction costs for the equivalent of almost seven billion euros.
Here you can find more Handelsblatt articles on the subject:
Morrison addressed the armaments project in a foreign policy keynote address in which he called on China to end its support for Russia in the Ukraine war. Putin chose the path of violence “to overthrow the global order”. China is obliged to respond. “No country has a greater impact on bringing this terrible war to an end than China,” he added.
The government in Beijing must demonstrate that its alleged commitment to peace is more than just talk, Morrison demanded. “Unfortunately, the first signals are not good, I’m afraid.” Morrison had previously criticized China for the decision to relax restrictions on Russian wheat imports. The procedure is unacceptable. “You don’t throw a lifebuoy to a country while it’s invading.”
Although concerns about China’s growing power are widespread in Australia, repeated attacks on Beijing have not helped Morrison gain ground in the election campaign. His government has recently been under pressure, among other things, because of the accusation that it reacted too late to the flood disaster that has devastated parts of the country in recent days. The opposition accused Morrison of merely wanting to distract attention from the government’s failure in disaster control with his announcement of armaments.
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese, who could become Australia’s next head of government, does not want to leave security policy as a campaign issue to Morrison alone. He stressed that his party will also ensure that Australia’s armed forces have the resources they need to defend the country and deter aggressors.
More: Putin’s last friends – these countries condone or support aggressive war