Global Shield Australia welcomes this opportunity to contribute to the Defence Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade’s inquiry into the Department of Defence Annual Report 2023-24.
Our submission focuses on two specific areas central to the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference:
“Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities. A robust, reliable and effective sovereign defence industry is essential for the defence of Australia and its national interests. 2024 saw the release of the National Defence Strategy and Defence Industry Development Strategy.”
“Australian international defence cooperation and competition. The committee will also review Australia’sinternational defence cooperation, assistance and responses within our region and to global contingencies.”
The Department of Defence Annual Report 2023-24 notes the critical strategic direction that guides the Department’s efforts: “The Government’s adoption of the whole-of-government, whole-of-nation approach to National Defence meansthe ADF willshift from a balanced force capable of responding to a range of contingencies, to an integrated, focused force designed to address Australia’s mostsignificantstrategic risks.”
Global Shield Australia – an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening Australia’s preparedness for and response to national emergencies and crises – believes that to meet this strategic direction, the Department of Defence needs to prepare for an increasingly complex and catastrophic risk outlook.
A fundamental challenge facing Australia is that the Department of Defence, and the industrial base that supports Australia’s defence, will need to be ready to be called upon to respond to any major global crisis – not just military contingencies. For example, in a major global crisis, Defence might be tasked with simultaneously supporting civilian authorities in maintaining essential national functions, contributing to humanitarian operations in the region, sustaining commitments to Allied forces abroad, securing the supply of energy and critical goods, and, in the worst case, protecting the homeland.
The use of Defence assets in response to domestic emergencies should always be a last resort. And greater civilian resilience capabilities must be built up alongside education of the community on the roles of Defence and other agencies. However, in a catastrophic scenario, the Government will need to draw on all resources to ensure an effective response, including from the Defence portfolio.
