Australia is set to accelerate A$1 billion in defence expenditure in Tuesday’s federal budget, as part of a broader effort to enhance its military capabilities, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced on Monday.
Marles outlined that the federal budget would include an increase of A$10.6 billion (US$6.66 billion) for defence over the next four years—a key component of a previously announced A$50 billion boost over a decade. He described this package as the most significant surge in defence spending since the end of World War II.
Speaking at the Avalon Air Show in Victoria, Marles emphasized that the accelerated spending would enable Australia to fast-track critical projects, including the development of guided weapons manufacturing capabilities, the establishment of an AUKUS submarine base at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia, and the procurement of a new frigate into the service fleet within the decade.
“This additional A$1 billion is necessary to accelerate our capability and development,” Marles said, highlighting that the funds will facilitate readying HMAS Stirling and launching the Henderson Defence Precinct as the base for the Submarine Rotational Force West. He also noted that the move will help advance the Guided Weapons and Explosives Enterprise at a faster pace.
Under the AUKUS pact, up to four U.S.-commanded and one British-commanded nuclear-powered submarines are expected to rotate through Australia’s largest naval base from 2027. The early injection of funds will also support the broader strategy of enhancing long-range strike capabilities.
In related developments, Australia has already received the first two of 42 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) launcher vehicles ordered from Lockheed Martin. Brigadier Nick Wilson explained that the mobile, truck-mounted system—used in the war in Ukraine—will significantly enhance the nation's ability to deploy coastal operations, as it can be easily transported by ship or via C-17 and C-130 aircraft.
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy added that the Precision Strike Missile, with a 500-kilometre range, is slated for delivery this year to integrate with the HIMARS, further bolstering Australia’s regional strike capabilities.
The move comes amid ongoing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump and other security allies for Australia to increase its defence spending, reflecting heightened regional security challenges and the need for a modernised military infrastructure.
Indonesia has assured Australia that no Russian military aircraft will be stationed at an airbase in its Papua province, dismissing recent reports as false, according to Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles.
As Australia heads toward a tight 3 May election, housing dominates the debate, with both major parties unveiling bold plans to help first-time buyers amid a growing affordability crisis and rising living costs.
In Sydney’s Bennelong, where Chinese Australians make up a large share of the electorate, the fight for votes is playing out on unexpected turf: Xiaohongshu.
Australia is facing the continued emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants more than five years after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton have both pledged to defend the country’s national interests as the United States signals possible tariffs targeting Australian beef exports.
A mob attack on an Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi has left one man dead, highlighting ongoing persecution of the minority group.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
The Russian ruble has emerged as the top-performing currency globally in 2025, registering an impressive 38% appreciation against the US dollar since the beginning of the year, according to a report by Bloomberg.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
Severe rainfall on April 17 led to flooding and landslides in the Piedmont region, prompting a large-scale emergency response from over 400 firefighters.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 16th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The Russian rouble surged past 81 to the U.S. dollar on Thursday, marking a 40% increase since the beginning of 2025.
In response to President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariffs, a number of global companies are eyeing expansion into the United States to minimize the economic fallout from the trade measures.
Google plans to appeal parts of a recent U.S. court ruling that found it had unlawfully maintained monopoly power in parts of the online ad market, specifically in publisher ad servers and ad exchanges, while the court dismissed other antitrust claims.
The European Central Bank cut its main interest rate by a quarter point on Thursday, citing rising trade tensions following U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff campaign. The decision brings the rate down to 2.25 percent, marking the ECB’s seventh cut in the past year.
Nvidia will take a $5.5 billion charge after the U.S. restricted exports of its H20 AI chip to China, citing security concerns. The move targets China's access to advanced tech, impacting Nvidia's key market amid growing global AI competition.
A mob attack on an Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi has left one man dead, highlighting ongoing persecution of the minority group.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment