Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Over the last six months, we have engaged in the single biggest re-evaluation of Australia's strategic posture and more than 35 years.

Opposition members interjecting—

Well may they shout, because over the last 10 years the sum total of defence policy on that side of the House has been shouting at the world while allowing Australia's hard power equation to diminish. As a result, we were being left weaker. At the end of the day, there is a vast difference between obsession with the politics of defence and actually doing defence policy.

Under the Albanese government, we are very different. Australia is back to being very serious about defence. We are making the hard calls in relation to defence policy, making the hard decisions so that in this very difficult world we can keep Australians safe.

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