Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

On 3 May the Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence, Stephen Smith, announced that Defence would commence work on a new Defence white paper, to be delivered in the first quarter of 2013. As outlined in the 2009 Defence white paper, this process involves a new white paper at intervals of no more than five years. However, there have been a number of significant developments since the 2009 white paper which are influencing Australia's Defence budget, Defence posture and future for structure. The government is of the view that we need to review our strategic settings in light of these developments through a white paper process which will include: (1) the Australian Defence Force's post-operational challenges, including transition in Afghanistan and draw-down in East Timor and the Solomon Islands; (2) the Australia Defence Force Posture Review, which addressed a range of national—