Overview

• Admiral David Johnston argued Australia needs to view its mainland as a potential base for combat operations, marking a major shift in defence posture.
• He cited the Ukraine conflict to warn that modern military technology can become obsolete in roughly 12 weeks.
• Johnston said the Defence Force is fully expending its current budget, requiring tough choices to sustain readiness and capability.
• US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has urged Canberra to lift defence spending to 3.5% of GDP to meet evolving security challenges.
• The government has adopted a biannual strategic review cycle to ensure more frequent reassessment of defence priorities and resource allocation.