Are we ready for war? Politicians tasked with plan against new age threats

Federal lawmakers in Australia are tasked with developing a plan to prepare the nation for the impacts of war, as government officials express increasing concern about the risk of regional conflict. A newly established parliamentary committee on defense will investigate how businesses and the broader community can contribute to national defense efforts and ensure the continuity of essential goods and services in the event of a crisis.

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This is an area which really hasn't received much attention in Australian public policy since the end of the Second World War.

Defense Minister Richard Marles emphasized that while the government does not believe war is inevitable, Australia must enhance its preparedness. He noted that the nation has largely overlooked questions of national resilience for decades, benefiting from a long period of peace. "This is an area which really hasn't received much attention in Australian public policy since the end of the Second World War," Marles said, adding that the interaction between the civil economy and the defense force is fundamental to a society's ability to manage contingencies.

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In any contingency, the way in which the civil economy operates and interacts with the defence force is fundamental to a society, to us as a country, being able to manage that.

The bipartisan committee, excluding crossbench and minor party MPs, will examine Australia's national civil preparedness and resilience, alongside whole-of-nation support for defense, continuity of government, and the availability of essential services during crises. Committee chair, Labor Senator Deb O'Neill, stated that defending the nation is a responsibility shared by all Australians and every sector of the economy and civil society.

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Now, it is important that we are able to prepare for that, that we're able to exercise those muscles, if I could put it that way.

Deputy chair, Liberal Senator Dave Sharma, described the initiative as taking out "insurance policies" against the risk of conflict. He stressed that Australia's deteriorating strategic environment and heightened geopolitical risks necessitate greater resilience, preparedness, and self-reliance to withstand global shocks. The committee is expected to focus particularly on securing essential imports like fuel and fertilizer.

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The task of defending the nation and deterring assaults on our sovereignty falls not only to armed service men and women but to every Australian, and engages every sector of the economy and our civil society.