Australian politicians need to think harder about defence
The country is spending freely on security. But is it spending wisely?
NOW THAT Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, has set a date, May 21st, for a general election, expect his beleaguered conservative coalition to ramp up attacks on the Labor Party and its supposed incompetence. On the economy, it will paint Labor as a choker of growth. On security, it will call it soft on defence. In a particularly crass move, Mr Morrison has called Anthony Albanese, Labor’s leader, Beijing’s candidate.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Disagree to agree”
Asia April 16th 2022
- Shehbaz Sharif is Pakistan’s new prime minister
- Sri Lanka says it will stop servicing its foreign debt
- The fallout from Europe’s war reaches the Himalayas
- Thai soldiers are forcing refugees to return to Myanmar
- An ode to Tokyo’s Nakagin Capsule Tower
- Australian politicians need to think harder about defence
From the April 16th 2022 edition
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