 | |
| Author | Australian Government |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Defence white paper |
| Publisher | Department of Defence |
Publication date | 2009 |
| Publication place | Australia |
| Pages | 140 pp. |
| ISBN | 978-0-642-29702-0 |
| OCLC | 426475923 |
Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030 is anAustralian Governmentwhite paper released on 2 May 2009. The publication seeks to provide guidance for Australia's defence policy and theAustralian Defence Force (ADF) during the period 2009–2030.
In 2000, the then Coalition government released a defence white paper[1] in response to theEast Timor crisis that saw Australia deploying and leading a peacekeeping force in South-East Asia. The paper called for an increased expeditionary capability, and marked a departure from the defensive military posture (primacy of the air-sea gap) of theDefence of Australia Policy, that had been in place since the end of the Vietnam War.[2]
A commitment to develop a new Defence white paper was one of theAustralian Labor Party's (ALP's) policies during the2007 Australian federal election.[3] At the time the policy was launched, Labor's leaderKevin Rudd argued that theHoward government had over-committed the ADF and conducted insufficient planning. Rudd promised that if elected his government would commission a new white paper to clarify the ADF's role andforce structure.[4]
In December 2007, shortly after the ALPRudd government was sworn in, theMinister for Defence,Joel Fitzgibbon, directed theDepartment of Defence to begin work on the white paper.[5] While the white paper was originally due to be completed in December 2008, it was delayed until 2009 due to the volume of work required.[3]
Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030 was based around assumptions thatChina will become increasingly dominant in Australia's region and that Australia cannot rely on theUnited States for protection.[6] The white paper outlines the Government's preferred ADF force structure, with specific elements for each of the three services.
TheRAN is planned to undergo significant expansion:
The previously approved construction of at least threeHobart-class destroyers and twoCanberra-class landing helicopter docks will also go ahead.[7]
TheRAAF is planned to be re-equipped with up to 100F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft, eight new maritime patrol aircraft, up to sevenunmanned aerial vehicles and ten new light tactical transport aircraft along with an additional twoC-130J Hercules.[7]
There will be relatively few changes to theArmy, which is to be organised into threebrigades each with about 4,000 soldiers. The main new equipment for the Army will be up to 1,100 light armoured vehicles, seven newCH-47F Chinook helicopters to replace thecurrent CH-47D models and new self-propelled and towed 155mm artillery guns.[7]
The white paper received a mixed response from governments in Australia's region, Australian political parties and defence commentators.
Malcolm Turnbull, the thenleader of the Federal opposition, said the document did not provide details on how the plans it described would be funded. SenatorBob Brown, leader of theAustralian Greens was critical of increasing defence expenditure during an economic downturn and said that these resources would be better used to counterclimate change.[8]
Australian Department of Defence officials briefed the Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese and United States governments as well as the governments of several other countries in Australia's region before the white paper was released.[9] The Chinese Government was reported to be concerned about the white paper's identification of China as a possible threat to Australia's security.[10] The Indonesian Government was supportive of the plan.[11]
Brookings Federal Executive Fellow of the John Angevine has argued that the concept of defence self-reliance in the white paper is wrong and that Australia should seek closer defence ties with the United States instead.[12][13]