Defence, while elevated by recent Chinese live-fire exercises near Australia, will take a back seat to the cost of groceries and power in this federal election campaign. That is a tragedy because Australia is confronting threats to its security unlike any it has faced. Ever.

Despite the best efforts of the superb people in our operating forces outside Canberra, our Defence department is like a footy team about to run onto the grand final with five unfit players, two who are missing boots, a coach who is yet to decide on game tactics, and a support staff who forgot energy drinks and the team physio. Because of underfunding and poor investment prioritisation, underperformance in recruitment and, most importantly, underthinking about lessons from modern war, the defence of our nation will soon tip into crisis.

Australia’s forces do a gallant job but what of the Defence “aristocrats” who call the tune?

Since the election of the Albanese government, the Chinese and Russians have grown more militarily powerful, aggressive and informed about modern warfare. China has formed a learning-and-adaptation bloc with Russia, Iran and North Korea to implement the lessons of modern war, strategy, industrial production, economic coercion and disinformation operations against democratic nations.

To complicate matters further, our great and powerful friend is in the process of breaking the partnerships – and the hearts – of its closest friends and allies through tariffs, a determined effort to denigrate its “pathetic” European partners, demands for access to territory and minerals, and a closer alignment with brutal dictator Putin. The Trump administration’s actions so far with Europe signal that there is trouble ahead, too, for the Pacific.

Defence capability and reform has........

© The Age