… GLOBAL CAMPAIGN ON MILITARY SPENDING, 5- 18 April 2016.

“The 2016 Defence White paper says that ‘While there is no more than a remote prospect of a military attack by another country on Australian territory in the foreseeable future…our strategic planning is not limited to defending our borders’. So the government’s aim to increase defence spending to an arbitrary figure of 2% of GDP is not just about defending Australia, and therefore should be seriously questioned”, said Kathryn Kelly, ACT representative for the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN).

On 5-18 April, citizens around the world are calling for a reduction of the colossal amounts spent in fighting and preparing for wars. Currently, global military spending is approximately $1.7 trillion annually.

“Australia’s 2015-16 Defence budget of $31.9 billion effectively diverts resources from Australia’s hospitals, schools, other social programs and resources to address climate change,” she continued. If there is no real threat to Australia, as the Defence White Paper states, our level of defence spending can’t be justified”.

“Our Defence forces are increasingly embedded with the US forces, and the lack of an independent foreign and defence policy is clear to the world. Some say the US Alliance keeps us safe, but this view doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Rather, the opposite is the case. When we follow the US into its conflicts around the world, we create more enemies at each stage. If we weren’t the US’s deputy sheriff, Australians would be more secure. An independent stance from Australia in the growing US-China conflict, for example, would do more to protect Australians, for less financial cost,” said Ms Kelly.

“Globally, just over 1% of military spending could meet the amount requested by the UN for its humanitarian programs, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. This global supertanker of military spending needs to be turned around, starting now,” Ms Kelly said.

Kathryn Kelly, Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (ACT representative),

Dr Sue Wareham, Medical Association for the Prevention of War (ACT)

David Purnell, Quakers ACT and Quakers National Peace and Legislative Committee
Kathryn Kelly, Dr Sue Wareham, David Purnell