Australia’s defence posture remains shaped by expeditionary assumptions at a time when alliance guarantees are less certain. Building a credible Plan B requires a renewed focus on territorial defence, resilience and self-reliance.

John Menadue is right to warn of an accelerating rupture in the international system. Australia’s vulnerability is now structural rather than hypothetical, yet our strategic posture remains uncertain and reactive. A credible Plan B must be grounded in sovereignty, restraint, and genuine military self-reliance.

For several decades the purpose of the Australian Defence Force has been shaped disproportionately by expeditionary assumptions – by the expectation of deploying alongside the United States in distant theatres. Force structure, preparedness, and spending priorities have followed........

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