Stephen Kuper
Nobody has ever said that defending Australia will come cheap. Following a big year for defence budgeting and the national accounts in particular, this has come to the fore, but with the next-half of this decade set to be more challenging, what is the true cost for defending the nation?
From the Cold War-era to the modern challenges of a contested Indo-Pacific, the ebbs and flows of investment in defence reflect Australia’s efforts to balance economic constraints with the growing demands of an increasingly complex global and regional environment.
Naturally, Australia’s defence and national security spending has experienced significant fluctuations over the past four decades, shaped by shifting geopolitical dynamics, economic conditions, and evolving strategic priorities.
In the 1980s, the nation’s defence strategy was anchored in the formalisation of the “Defence of Australia” doctrine, outlined in the 1987 Defence White Paper.
This shift in strategy focused on and prioritised self-reliance and the protection of the continent’s northern approaches, leading to investments in maritime and air capabilities such as Collins-class submarines and F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets. However, spending remained modest, reflecting the relative geographic insulation and isolation of Australia from major global conflicts.