In recent years, there has been a greater focus on whether the Australian Defence Force has the resources and capabilities it needs to meet the threats facing the nation.

In 2023, the Australian government’s National Defence Statement said Australia’s defence posture needed to shift to focus on ‘transforming our future capability such that Australia can resist coercion … in a much less certain region and world’.

More recently, the Trump administration has renewed pressure on US allies to increase their defence spending. In a meeting with his Australian counterpart, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth called on Australia to increase its defence spending to 3.5% of GDP as soon as possible. Currently, Australia spends approximately 2% of GDP on defence.

In the leadup to the Australian federal election in May, the Albanese government said it would bring forward additional defence spending, lifting the total to about 2.3% of GDP by 2033. The Coalition said, if elected, it would lift defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.

In response to a new question polled separately in April, half the population (51%) say Australia should increase defence spending. A minority (37%) say Australia should keep defence spending at about the same level as now, while only 10% say it should be decreased. There are clear demographic differences in how Australians respond on this matter — younger Australians (34% of 18 to 29 year olds) are far less supportive of increasing defence spending than older Australians (71% of those older than 60). Females (46%) are less supportive than males (58%), and those who lean towards Labor (50%) are less supportive than those who prefer the Coalition (72%).

Defence spending