Why the Greens want to cut spending of Australia’s defence force

The Greens’ policy of cutting defense spending has been ridiculed by two former coalition heavyweights.

The Greens’ policy, labeled ‘Peace, disarmament and demilitarisation’ on their website, states that the Australian military should only be used for ‘defence and peacekeeping and relief operations, and not offensive action’.

It states that “investment in offensive military capabilities undermines the environmental sustainability and social development necessary for global cooperation and peaceful nonviolent conflict resolution.”

“The Greens will cancel defense contracts and cut defense spending. Twill focuses on promoting peace in our region, increasing global aid to 0.7% of GNI, increasing our humanitarian inflow and taking care of people in times of climate crisis,” the party says.

Former Nationals Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson said in a videotaped conversation last month that former Liberal treasurer Peter Costello mocked what they called the Greens’ proposal to ‘defund Australia’s defense force’.

“I amused myself this weekend reading the Greens’ defense policy,” Mr Anderson said.

“They want to defund the Australian armed forces, they are completely opposed to the Americans, they are the only country listed as a bad actor, the Americans.

“It’s not the Chinese, it’s not the North Koreans, it’s not Iran and it’s not Russia.”

Mr Costello replied that he was surprised and asked what the Greens’ policy is towards the bloody Russian invasion of Ukraine that has been dragging on for more than 15 months.

“They do have an answer,” Mr. Anderson replied.

“All conflicts must be resolved peacefully, we must sit around the table and Australia must put together an internationally respected team of peace negotiators, whose composition is politically correct.”

Mr. Costello responded with heavy sarcasm.

“Putin will just sit down and say ‘you were right, we shouldn’t have invaded Ukraine,'” he laughed.

The Greens have been accused of ‘wanting to defund the army’ (photo Green leader Adam Bandt)

“Let’s fix it then, it’s that easy.”

Mr Anderson’s claim that the Greens would like a ‘politically correct’ negotiating party refers to their call for ‘the role of women, LGBTQIA+ people, First Nations peoples and multicultural communities in decision making at all stages of peace processes, agreements and transitional governance structures’ ‘.

The Greens also call on Australia to end its “participation in the development and production of military systems for the international arms trade”.

It is unclear whether this would mean the end of all production of ‘offensive’ military equipment in Australia.

Senator Jordon Steele-John, the Greens spokesman for Foreign Affairs and Peace, issued a jab of his own after being asked by Daily Mail Australia to respond to Mr Anderson and Mr Costello’s comments.

“I will not take policy advice from Peter Costello or John Anderson, men responsible for engaging Australia in an illegal invasion of Iraq, causing a humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan and the deaths of hundreds of thousands around the world,” said Senator Steele-John v Daily Post Australia.

The Australian Greens are a party based on peace and non-violence. The costs of war are borne by ordinary people.

The Australian government must show its solidarity with the people of Ukraine, including by imposing tougher sanctions on Russian oil and gas, advocating for Ukraine’s debt to be canceled and taking in more refugees to help Ukrainians fleeing the conflict find a home. to give.’

To pursue global peace, the Greens in their police statement call for “a high-level international peace conference, under the auspices of the UN, to build consensus on a comprehensive global disarmament strategy.”

The Greens senator did not answer a question about whether it was wrong for Australia to send military aid to Ukraine.

Bushmaster’s armored personnel carriers were part of $510 million in military aid Australia sent to Ukraine

In February, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles announced they would send more military aid to Ukraine in the form of Uncrewed Aerial Systems and further ease Russia’s sanctions.

The new measures include targeted financial sanctions and travel bans for 90 individuals who supported the invasion of Ukraine with targeted financial sanctions for 40 individuals or groups.

Australia imposed more than 1,000 sanctions in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

It has also sent more than $510 million in military aid, including 90 Bushmaster armored personnel carriers and 28 M-113 armored troop carriers, six howitzer guns, drones and ammunition.

Australia also joined 140 other member states in supporting a resolution calling for just peace in Ukraine at a special emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly on Feb. 23.