The final Defence Strategic Review (DSR) report was handed over to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles yesterday afternoon.
The review, authored by former Minister for Defence, Professor Stephen Smith and former Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal (Ret'd) Sir Angus Houston, set out to examine the nation’s defence force posture, force structure and capabilities.
“The Defence Strategic Review will help prepare Australia to effectively respond to the changing regional and global strategic environment and ensure Defence's capability and structure is fit for purpose and delivers the greatest return on investment,” Prime Minister Albanese said in a media release addressing the announcement.
Conducted over six months, the DSR was informed by engagements with more than 150 individuals and experts including Defence officials, Australian Defence Force personnel, defence industry, national security think tanks and academics, representatives from the states and territories and interest groups.
Smith and Houston additionally received over 360 submissions from the general public, interested parties, organisations and state and territory governments.
“The Defence Strategic Review is an ambitious and extensive examination of our strategic circumstances and will underpin our Defence policy for decades to come,” Deputy Prime Minister Marles added.
“Australia must be resolute in its responsibility to safeguard our region and keep adversaries further from our shores.”
“I thank His Excellency Professor the Hon. Stephen Smith and former Chief of the Defence Force, Sir Angus Houston, for their dedication and commitment to the task, and producing a body of work which will inform key decision making for government.”
The Government has said it will take “some weeks” to consider the review and its recommendations before an unclassified version of the report is made public.