PM wants to spend more on defence, DFAT

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he'd like defence spending to rise to 2% of gross domestic product. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd says he'd like to spend more on defence and on Australia's diplomatic missions.

Mr Rudd said he would aim to lift defence spending to two per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) - matching a goal laid out by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

"In terms of the future of our defence expenditure commitments, then of course our objective remains to sustain defence expenditure at two per cent of GDP," he told the Lowy Institute in Sydney on Tuesday.

Mr Abbott said on Sunday a coalition government would raise defence spending to two per cent of GDP within a decade.

Current defence spending is $25.4 billion - or 1.59 per cent of GDP - and will rise to 1.65 per cent by 2016/17.

Mr Rudd also said if Labor was returned he would do everything possible to enhance the resources available to the Australian foreign service.

One of his final achievements as foreign minister was to secure funding for a new consulate-general in western China.

"People said we couldn't do that. We did," Mr Rudd said.

Mr Rudd also noted the coalition had opposed the government's campaign to secure membership of the UN Security Council.

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

PM wants to spend more on defence, DFAT

Dengan url

http://flasdiskvirus.blogspot.com/2013/08/pm-wants-to-spend-more-on-defence-dfat.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

PM wants to spend more on defence, DFAT

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

PM wants to spend more on defence, DFAT

sebagai sumbernya