Whilst conflict should be resolved peaceably wherever possible, and where not, the conditions for a just war must be met before war is declared, the provision of an adequate defence force is of prime importance to any nation’s government.

Since ancient times it has been considered that one of the best justifications for the very existence of the nation state and its government is the physical protection of that nation’s citizens and assets from foreign attack.

Similarly Australia’s Founding Fathers saw the defence of the continent as one of the prime motivations for the separate colonies to unite to form the Commonwealth of Australia.

Nowadays, Australia’s defence requirements are as varied as they are unique.

Australia is located at the southern edge of the Asian hemisphere; it has a relatively small population mostly located in the southern half of the continent, an enormous sea border and no land borders.

Much of its natural resources and their associated infrastructures are located in the northern part of the continent and the surrounding oceans and seas.

Australia’s immediate neighbours include several small, developing island nations and the world’s most populous Islamic nation.

Beyond this immediate region recent times have seen the emergence of China as a serious military and industrial challenge to both Australia’s most important military ally, the United States, and Australia’s important trading partner, Japan, and an ongoing threat from the nuclear weapons development program in North Korea.

Globally, recent years have seen the emergence of challenges from failed states, Islamic fundamentalism, terrorism and the movement of displaced and threatened people.

THE CDP:

• Supports the current level of ADF deployment in Iraq with the objective of training Iraqi security forces under the command of a democratically elected Iraqi Government with a view to stabilising the country and then the eventual withdrawal of the ADF in consultation with our allies and the Iraqi Government.
• Supports improved remuneration and conditions for ADF fulltime and reserve personnel for the purpose of improving retention of existing service personnel and encouraging new recruits.
• Seeks to build upon the revival of interest in ANZAC traditions to revamp the school cadet program and promote military recruitment programs on school and university campuses so that a military career continues to be seen as a worthwhile career choice among school and university leavers.
• Recognises that, although alliances are important, history teaches us that in a time of security crisis the only country that one may be able to call upon is itself. Therefore, the Australian government needs to develop a defence policy that would enable the nation to defend itself if it could not rely on any allies.
• Encourages our traditional close defence links with the United States, Britain and New Zealand but also wishes to see more Australian based production and manufacture of the military equipment associated with these alliances.
• Encourages closer defence links with all regional democracies as a counter to the influence of nations in the region hostile to democracy and democratic principles.