The Turnbull government has released a Defence White Paper.
The White Paper was launched at a ceremony at the Australian Defence Academy, attended by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Defence Minister Senator Marise Payne.
The paper commits the government to increasing Defence spending from $32.4 billion to $58.7 billion in 2025.
The White Paper is shown below.
Defence White Paper Downloads
At A Glance
Statement from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Defence Minister Senator Marise Payne.
The 2016 White Paper is a comprehensive and responsible long-term plan to ensure Australia’s national security.
It is the culmination of detailed analysis of our strategic environment, our defence priorities and objectives, and the capabilities required to achieve these outcomes.
For the first time, the White Paper released today by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Defence Minister Marise Payne fully aligns strategy, capability and resources to make the Australian Defence Force (ADF) more capable, agile and potent.
The Turnbull Government is increasing Defence spending by $29.9 billion over the next decade.
The defence strategy and capability plans have been independently costed to ensure they are achievable and affordable.
The Turnbull Government has also set a new benchmark for transparency and funding certainty by releasing an Integrated Investment Program and Defence Industry Policy Statement.
The fully costed, ten-year Integrated Investment Program brings together all capability-related investment including new weapons, platforms, infrastructure and science and technology.
The Defence Industry Policy Statement will transform Defence’s relationship with industry.
The Turnbull Government will invest $1.6 billion over 10 years in programs to build industry skills, drive competitiveness and export potential while harnessing Australian innovation and expertise.
These investments in Australian industry and technologies will generate benefits beyond the Australian defence industrial base which flow into the rest of the economy, delivering jobs and encouraging innovation for regional businesses and communities across Australia.
The implementation of the First Principles Review of Defence and the organisation’s ongoing commitment to cultural reform will be critical to realising the Turnbull Government’s White Paper goals.
The White Paper recognises Australia’s security and prosperity is directly tied to the stability of our region and to the maintenance of a stable, rules-based global order.
In the period to 2035, Australia will have greater opportunities for prosperity and development but it will also face greater uncertainty. We need to be prepared.
The White Paper positions Defence to respond to a broader range of security threats to Australians at home and abroad.
The Government will invest in new capability across the ADF including:
- A continuous naval shipbuilding program commencing with nine future frigates and 12 offshore patrol vessels.
- 12 new regionally-superior submarines, with the commitment to maximise Australian industry involvement in acquisition and sustainment, to be finalised through the Competitive Evaluation Process.
- Enhanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, space, electronic warfare and cyber capabilities.
- Advanced training, modern equipment, health care and logistics systems to support ADF personnel.
- Comprehensive upgrades to Defence infrastructure across Australia to support our larger future force, including key bases, training and testing ranges and fuel and explosive ordnance facilities.
- Modernised information management, operational communications, and command and control systems.
Australians can be confident the Turnbull Government will continue to deliver on its most important task – defending our nation and protecting and promoting our national interests.
Statement from the Department of Defence.
2016 Defence White Paper
The 2016 Defence White Paper released on 25 February 2016 delivers on the Government’s commitment to the safety of the Australian people and to the defence our territory and national interests.
The Defence White Paper sets out a comprehensive, responsible long term plan for Australia’s defence. The Government is investing in Defence to ensure that we have the armed forces we need to protect Australia and to secure our interests in the coming decades.
The plans in this Defence White Paper have been cost-assured and externally validated. Australia’s defence strategy and capability plans have been aligned with funding. These plans are affordable and achievable.
And for the first time, all elements of the Government’s Defence investment, including new weapons, platforms, systems, and the enabling equipment, facilities, workforce, information and communications technology, and science and technology are outlined in an Integrated Investment Program, published with the Defence White Paper.
The Defence Industry Policy Statement released with the Defence White Paper acknowledges the fundamental contribution that Australian industry provides to defence capability. The Defence Industry Policy statement will refocus Defence’s relationship with Australian industry to support the plans in the Defence White Paper.
The Government’s defence strategy is supported by increased defence funding, which will grow to two per cent of Australia’s Gross Domestic Product by 2020-21, three years ahead of the Government’s 2013 election commitment. The Government’s funding plan provides $29.9 billion more to Defence over the period to 2025-26 than previously planned, enabling approximately $195 billion of new investment in our Defence capabilities in this period.
The Defence White Paper is a key part of the Government’s commitment to a safe and secure Australia. The Australian people can have confidence that this Government will ensure that we can defend our nation and protect our interests today and into the future.
