Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Defence Minister Stephen Smith – Joint Media Release - 2013 Defence White Paper

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Defence Minister Stephen Smith today released the 2013 Defence White Paper. The 2013 Defence White Paper complements the National Security Strategy released on 23 January 2013 and the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper released on 28 October 2012.

These three documents are a statement of the priority the Government places on Australia’s security and prosperity, and on maintaining a strong Australian Defence Force to meet Australia’s national security challenges.

The 2013 Defence White Paper addresses the range of significant international and domestic developments since 2009, which influence Australia’s national security and defence settings, including their impact on force posture, future force structure and the Defence budget.

These developments include:

the ongoing economic strategic and military shift to the Indo-Pacific;
the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) operational drawdown from Afghanistan, Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands;
the United States’ re-balance to the Asia-Pacific;
Australia’s substantially enhanced practical cooperation with the United States pursuant to our Alliance relationship; and
the ongoing adverse effects of the Global Financial Crisis, which have continued to have a significant deleterious impact on the global economy, domestic fiscal circumstances and Defence funding.

The 2009 Defence White Paper made clear Australia’s enduring interest in the stability of the wider Asia-Pacific region. The Indo-Pacific adjusts Australia’s priority strategic focus to the arc extending from India though Southeast Asia to Northeast Asia, including the sea lines of communication on which the region depends. This region is the location of unprecedented growth that has seen some countries, including China, India, Indonesia, and the Republic of Korea transformed within a generation.

Australia’s longstanding partnership with Indonesia remains our most important defence relationship in the region. The Government will develop options to expand our existing program of maritime, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief cooperation with Indonesia, including through expanding our bilateral exercise program and increasing the frequency and scope of personnel and unit exchanges.

The 2013 Defence White Paper is available at: http://www.defence.gov.au/whitepaper2013/index.htm
Imagery is available at: http://images.defence.gov.au/12133679

Media inquiries:
Ray Marcelo, Consellor (Public Affairs) tel. (021) 2550 5290 mob. 0811 187 3175