Permanent residents should become eligible for public service careers and security clearances comprehensively revisited in a push to make Australia safer, urges the head of Australia's National Security College.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
ANU Professor Rory Medcalf said the policymakers were nervous to discuss a future that includes an Australian national service - not the military conscription of 50 years ago, but rooted in current security needs.
"Within the next decade, Australia will not credibly be able to provide for its security without radical changes to our thinking about whose job it is," he said.
For long-term security, Australians must accept risk now and pay the price of preparedness, he said.
"If as Australians we want to live our ethos of no worries, then our worries are precisely what we have to brace for, whether our leaders are ready to show the way or not."
The remarks follow a new agreement negotiated in Washington on Wednesday to increase United States troop and aircraft rotations through Australia.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said China's "dangerous and coercive action" in the region threatened regional peace and stability.
"Based upon today's talks, we will increase rotational presence of US forces in Australia," Mr Austin told reporters.
"That includes rotations of bomber task forces, fighters and future rotations of US Navy and Army capabilities. We will also expand our logistics and sustainment co-operation."
Since 2012, US Marines and equipment have come to Darwin during the dry season for activities, combined exercises and training with Australian Defence Force personnel and regional partners.
The number of Marines on rotation has grown from 200 a decade ago to 2200 this year.
READ MORE:
Defence Minister Richard Marles said the alliance with the United States was central to Australia's national security.
"There is a huge sense of alignment between the Biden administration and the Albanese government in the trajectory of the alliance and there is an enormous sense of gratitude that we have in the way in which America is engaging in the Indo-Pacific."
He said the "precarious" strategic environment made it all the more important to work together.
"We see the pressure that global rules-based order has been placed under with Russia's appalling, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, but we see pressure being placed on the global rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific as well."
Penny Wong will say on Thursday the Australia-US alliance must look beyond military deterrence in its scope.
"We have a great deal more to do to reduce the risk of conflict, and to influence the shaping of the region in our interests," she will say.