ABC News Daily cover image

ABC News Daily

Your questions: Defending Australia in Trump’s world

Apr 6, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Sam Roggeveen, Director of the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program, analyzes Australia's defense strategy amid rising global uncertainties. He tackles the question of whether Trump’s America remains a reliable ally and stresses the need for Australia to boost self-reliance without excessive spending. The conversation dives into the complexities of defense funding during a cost-of-living crisis, exploring how economic challenges shape national security decisions in an evolving geopolitical landscape.
15:20

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Australia's defence budget increase discussions are compounded by the urgent need for effective military capabilities amid rising global threats, particularly from China.
  • Experts advocate for a shift towards self-reliance in national security, questioning the reliability of traditional alliances, notably with the United States.

Deep dives

Debating Australia's Defence Spending

Australia's current defence budget sits just over 2% of GDP, with discussions emerging about increasing it to 2.5% in response to evolving global threats, particularly regarding China's military rise. The coalition hints at committing to this increase by 2029, emphasizing the need for the Australian Defence Force to be adequately funded to address contemporary security challenges. However, questions linger about whether merely increasing the budget is the best approach, with some experts suggesting that a thorough examination of current expenditures might yield better results. This perspective suggests that reallocating existing funds towards more effective military capabilities could be more beneficial than simply increasing the overall spending.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode