The spectre of China and the drums of war loom large over this year’s budget.
Mike Pezzullo, Home Affairs secretary, is beating the drums of war. Peter Dutton, minister for Defence, talks about the real prospect of conflict over Taiwan. Our relationship with an increasingly militarised China gets tenser by the day. So it’s little surprise that this budget was a generous one for the defence force and national security agencies.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg flagged an additional $1.9 billion for national security, law enforcement and intelligence services in his speech tonight.
“We also need to prepare for a world that is less stable and more contested,” Frydenberg said.
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