US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s demand for Australia to nearly double defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP has gone down like a lead balloon in Canberra.

Anthony Albanese, who chose to ignore the Coalition’s calls earlier this year for him to travel post-haste to Washington and prostrate himself before President Donald Trump to secure Australia a tariff exemption, feels his judgment has been vindicated.

Donald Trump and Anthony Albanese could meet in Kananaskis, Alberta, next month.Credit: Marija Ercegovac

Fresh from being re-elected with a historic majority, Albanese is in no mood to bow down to the Americans, especially when dislike (or at least distrust) of the current US administration aided Labor’s victory.

At present, Australia spends about 2 per cent of GDP on defence, or about $59 billion a year, and that figure will rise to 2.3 per cent by 2030. Going to 3.5 per cent would mean spending an extra $40 billion each year, approximately the annual cost of the entire NDIS.

Delivering........

© WA Today