Australian Opposition Leader Pledges Major Defence Spending Increase

Peter Dutton, head of Australia’s Liberal Party, has made a bold promise to ramp up defence spending if his coalition wins the upcoming May 3 election. With polls showing him trailing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor government, Dutton laid out a plan to boost military funding to 3% of Australia’s GDP within 10 years. His announcement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump urges allies to spend more on security.

Speaking in Western Australia, Dutton stressed the need for a strong military to ensure peace, a nod to Trump’s “peace through strength” mantra. He proposed adding 21 billion USD (13.41 billion USD) to defence over five years, aiming to hit 2.5% of GDP by 2030, higher than Labor’s projected 2.33% by 2033-34. His plan includes opening northern Australia more to U.S. forces, deepening ties with the key ally.

Dutton, who once served as defence minister, said national security is a top priority. He pointed to the AUKUS deal, a 368 billion USD project with the U.S. and UK for nuclear submarines as a key focus. He also wants to tackle a recruitment and retention crisis in the military, an issue raised by Andrew Hastie, a former special forces officer and Liberal defence spokesperson.

To pay for this, Dutton plans to scrap Labor’s recent income tax cuts, which he says would save 17 billion USD over five years, and roll back temporary cost-of-living relief. But Labor’s Defence Minister Richard Marles slammed the plan as weak and unreliable, accusing the Liberals of a spotty defence record.

Dutton’s pitch faces hurdles. He’s struggling to separate himself from Trump’s polarizing image, with polls showing Aussies are less trusting of the U.S. Labor has pounced, painting Dutton as too tied to American-style policies. As the election looms, Dutton hopes his defence focus will win over voters worried about security, but with the economy on many minds, it’s unclear if it’ll be enough.