Australian Defence Force ‘grown weaker’ under Albanese government

Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie says the Australian Defence Force has “grown weaker” under the Albanese government.
Mr Hastie told Sky News host Andrew Bolt that Australia’s national security has also grown weaker under Labor’s leadership.
“There is a recruiting and a retention crisis.”

[@MrMonikura]

What a disgrace...

[@user-rx3dh7hk5m]

When you elect a socialist what do you expect

[@martinscrapp7166]

2/3 of us didn't vote for this circus.

[@paddlesmcbean2366]

I learnt with Whitlam and have never voted labor, commie greens or the new clueless teals since.

[@BigBopper-zm1kf]

If you voted Labor, Teal or Green please think about what you did to our Nation

[@jasonclark950]

unfortunately these people hate Australia and our way of life.

[@YvonneCrean]

Do they think. ? Big ask 🥴

[@Mrbuckaroonie..]

F$%king well said.

[@user-dz1ym8mb1s]

That's the problem- they don't think

[@charlesarmstrong8206]

Being here for 20 odd years, this Albo government is terrible

[@YvonneCrean]

Being here coming up 80 years I know they are 🤢

[@paddlesmcbean2366]

Been here for 5 generations and personally for 62 years, the worst in Australia’s history.

[@DOWNUNDER.]

Welcome to Country I am Australian this is my country and all Australian's country Was then and always will be.🇦🇺

[@paddlesmcbean2366]

Australia voted no. I reject being welcomed to my country, what is left of it.

[@charlesarmstrong8206]

Absolutely pathetic , shows our might… not

[@PeterC245]

The Red Chinese will be very pleased

[@YvonneCrean]

😊👍

[@EricBryant-hc1ob]

Marles has put the Australian nation in great peril

[@jo-annemoss8783]

Albo has his 2 new planes, he can fly out once he has destroyed everthing. We have an absolute dill in charge of this country.

[@whiskeygamer9402]

Everything has grown weaker under Albanese government 😂😂

[@paddlesmcbean2366]

Except the abo industry and Islam.

[@MrLoonaticNinja]

Shut your mouth you grub

[@Chrisplumbgas]

Why would you put your son or daughter up for the defence force when the prime minister hasn’t even got your back? He’d rather have panda photo shoots and be subordinate with his Chinese masters.

[@user-hx3vx9lr5g]

Ripe and ready for invasion by design 😮

[@Tikka300-]

Exactly

[@jaddy11mash]

They planned it all with China

[@lornatodd4750]

Sadly you are correct.

[@ZELJKO472]

They will not actually need to invade. They will just pay them off.

[@paddlesmcbean2366]

Disarm the population, import division, disarm the ADF, just what our Chinese enemies want.

[@davidcroucher8697]

Don’t know why we just can’t call an early election right now and boot the bastard out. We need a strong leader not a weak little man. Defence should be a number 1 priority in this day and age no matter the cost.

[@paddlesmcbean2366]

Sadly that power rests with the PM.

[@graham3592]

Thank you Mr Hastie for your service and your understanding of this role. I also personally feel that we are a very different country to what we were during ww2 when my father served along side two of his brothers.

[@YvonneCrean]

Good man 🇦🇺

[@JohnLoogleman]

@@YvonneCreanWe are in no way the same country . I’m 44 and was raised by my Grandfather, a WW2!vet. Anyone younger than me has absolutely no idea what it used to be like. They don’t care either. Australia is young, a few nostalgic decades is all we had that was worth holding onto. That time has passed. We are on a downward trajectory to hell.

[@skyliner467]

Thats what China pays him for

[@Mrbuckaroonie..]

I did my 20 years in the Army. Now I just sit back and shake my head at the state of the ADF. Not having a go at the troops. Politicians and Senior Officers let it get in this state.

[@brandonmccarthy7660]

Sounds like old mate albo has taken lessons from bumbling stumbling Joe on how to destroy everything he touches.

[@YvonneCrean]

Both socialists

[@GrandpaVince]

Why have we let the government of albania be in charge of our Australian army? It doesn't make sense to vince

[@eb2505]

Not enough dingo trainers, I think.

[@ianbusby1310]

As a digger back in the 70s I remember Whitlam got in and Defence was hammered by his Labor government. Defence and Labor do not go together.

[@YvonneCrean]

I remember and he also offered the UK migrants jobs to stay away from defence

[@svracing9894]

Australia is weak under Albo period.

[@richardsoane6192]

Been going for years, come on

[@harryevans5577]

Albo won’t do that his boses in China won’t let him,

[@shaneburns4349]

Australia is a top country and we need to preserve it. Maybe we need to tighten our belts and look outside China as a main source of income. Then we could attend NATO meetings.

[@shanehansen3705]

RIMPAC generally has a training task each year, watching the vessels that turned up this year I can't pick what it is at least sending the Sydney was better than sending HMNZ Aotearoa a research vessel, but it seemed only south Korea and Japan sent fighting ships apart from the US

[@yo2trader539]

According to the press release from Japanese Ministry of Defense, ships participating in RIMPAC 2024 are LST KUNISAKI and DDG HAGURO, i.e. An amphibious transport ship and an Aegis guided-missile destroyer. P-1 planes and 95 staffers from High/Joint-Command (or Naval Operations) were sent too. I don't know if Japan participates in all aspects of RIMPAC training, or just the ones that are suited for Japanese needs. Anti-submarine warfare, live-missile firing, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief were training objectives mentioned in Japan's official press relief. But I do suspect maintaining or establishing interoperability with partner forces is still the number one objective for RIMPAC.

[@nomyafiftyonefifty8081]

Wow you would almost think it was planned that way.🤔

[@Martinoconnor-du6lc]

part of the belt and road agreement?

[@ianenniss4405]

America has Biden Australia has Albo the worst government Australia has ever had 😢

[@eb2505]

No, they are serious about everything other than Australia’s interests. They are serving others, not the people of this nation, as Tucker Carlson inferred.

[@YvonneCrean]

Wasn't Tucker great. We lack bright minds in this small country. Rowan Dean started to do small shows... don't know why he ceased. He's our answer to farage Tucker etc

[@eb2505]

@@YvonneCrean Tucker did a great job in exposing our media and government for being the sham they truly are. I think we have bright minds, but they are in the alternative media (Maria Zeee comes to mind). I don't trust any serving politician though.

[@lewynomg4943]

We are recruiting from the bland middle of the range psych profiles who are easier to manage not the dynamic fringes who shine but require solid leadership to control. We treat defence as a vehicle for social change not a hardened sword that protects the nation. We teach our children to hate our country which diminishes our pride and desire to defend ourselves. We allow public servants who supply unsuitable equipment from niche suppliers and almost always then buy from the USA to fix the issue. We indulge the petty envies of certain units who feel slighted after rejection. We overuse our elite because the majority are so bland ineffective because the leadership has forgotten what the defence force is for. And we treat ex members with ignore the second they march out for the last time with no preparation to reintegrate into society.

[@brothermaynard3200]

But we do have a mighty and invincible ABC...😂

[@oldsgtdad8472]

"SADLY", this is exactly what it was like under Bob Hawk and Paul Keating in the 1980's and early 1990's. Bob Hawk SOLD BOTH our AIRCRAFT CARRIERS to CHINA for a pittance, Army and Air force was in serious bad way. Our Tanks had to watch their hours of usage, our Soldiers still wearing uniforms also equipment, what Soldiers wore in Vietnam. It took John Howards Liberal government modernise our defence force. Built our Battalion's back 9 from 6, Kick ALP also Greens and Teals out.

[@CDTABLlama]

I had no idea Australia had a battleship with a crew of 300 people... I do know we have HMAS Sydney (V), an AWD with a crew of roughly 300 currently in Hawaii for RIMPAC 2024

[@carlbryson924]

Exactly. Hastie oughta boff up on terminology.

[@ge_mail]

AUS 100% unprepared AUS 100% unreliable

[@troywallace322]

Defence capabilities are a bit like fire extinguishers . You may not need them every day but your glad that there around when you do!

[@BarbaraHambleton]

This is terrible

[@davidferry548]

My son joined the navy to go to sea his ship just got decommissioned and they have no other sea positions to offer , talk about disincentive to serve on

[@MrMikeV00]

It didn't grow in terms of equipment. That's the fact. We didn't come close to our recruitment target.

[@Mrbuckaroonie..]

Who can blame the young kids for not wanting to join after they saw how the media and Senior Officers treated our Special Forces boys. The ABC came after SASR after East Timor and ABC and Channel 9 after Afghanistan. No top cover from senior officers. Why go overseas and risk your life to be treated like that. It isn't just Labor. Most of the failed Defence Acquisitions were thanks to the LNP. Bianca below is on the money. The whole country is stuffed, not just the ADF. Everyone has been seeing it decline for the past 20 years and nothing has been done about it. That is why we are in the position we find ourselves today. Poor leadership. The day John Howard left office is the day we started going down the tubes. National Service is the only answer to fix the ADF manning shortage. Been on Centrelink unemployment for 6 months, in you go.

[@RoyBennett-dz2cq]

They should have some sort of conscription or time spent serving your country .other countries do it like Israel and others you might not be taught to be a soldier ,if your not inclined but maybe fight bushfires or help in floods.there is no patriotism anymore, it's about self.. kind regards Roy Bennett, ex choco Syd uni regiment...a long time ago.

[@user-ts2dv4zp7c]

As the government keeps telling you its not your country let the real Australians fight for it

[@richardtravers8772]

Probably all the qualified manpower the navy has to man it's shrinking fleet.

[@pugthepug7910]

Keep waving those pride flags.. pride that will come before the fall!

[@user-ys3co7bl1l]

Australia has no need for large defence forc. Australia needs its waters and borders protected, may be increase size of our Army to repel land invasion. Government through its lazy management has given and sold most of whats walued. So who are we protecting country from.

[@josephgee143]

America should give Australia $3.8billion per year like they do Israel.

[@rodsloane706]

Not only is is it extraordinary, it's stunningly embarrassing! The previous gov't didn't do alot but there seems to be no light on the hill with the current gov't doing anything at all.

[@YvonneCrean]

Oh I dunno know. Traitor Turnbull rushed over to France and signed-up for billions of dollars of useless subs (tut tut)

[@rodsloane706]

@@YvonneCrean Turnbull & his dud French Subs? Huh! Look how that ended. Look where we are now. How long have we gotta wait for the nukey ones? What's being done for the right here & now? Crickets really. Albo's too busy wasting money on pointless symbolic 'feel goods" that go nowhere like the VOICE to name but just one of this waster PMs .... 'contributions'. What an absolute arsewipe he's shown himself to be.

[@Alan-ep1qp]

Sadly, acting in so called good virtue, Australia is being 'thrown under the bus'. And is passing the 'point of no return'.

[@liampadrutt4368]

If things in the mid 1990s didn't change things then it proves the changes are a failure. The level of how much people care about our defence is broken due to mass change of what is now called Australia face facts new Aus citizens really don't care about our Rd defence. Our ethic has been destroyed

[@abrighterday508]

Its the coalition who had ten years to prepare.

[@mitchhoneysett7674]

Blame the other side to.

[@davegoldspink5354]

Why not that’s what they’re there for saying that it’s your common commie move.

[@imantifeminism556]

I've just farted

[@Berserker978]

Did your Head Cave In ?😆

[@davegoldspink5354]

😂🤣😂 Funny what came out of your arse is probably more intelligent than what festers in between most politicians and bureaucrats ears.

[@brothermaynard3200]

​@@Berserker978😂😂😂😂

[@XavierAnderson-eg5fp]

They spent 80 billion on internet.

[@chrismitchell4622]

Albanese following the directions of his master Xi in China!

[@gabeclair144]

Being a victorian, if covid 19 and the behaviour of the government towards its citizens has taught us anything, is that they won't and can't help at any level, even on their home turf..be prepared

[@peterschaefer2946]

man do we look like total loosers in this world

[@user-ky7fp3xj1z]

It happens everytime Labors are in.

[@jayhorton4088]

Australia 26 million China 1.4 billion people with armed forces and the world's biggest navy and the Australian government believe they can poke the sleeping dragon 😂

[@rore410]

Al Rambo what you doing

[@donkist2348]

Albo. 😳

[@patrickdoolan4553]

Labor doesn't want to upset China, Albanese thinks if you treat Chinese as comrades they will not interfere in Australia. All China will do is box Australia into corner that they think we have not way to get out of. Albanese would love to set up a Chinese style government in Australia. It will never happen. Just like multi culturally it only works if you choose what cultures you alow to come in as migrants. Migrants that will get along and want to be part of Australia. Not set up their own culture in Australia. Labor with their appeasement of Moslems has created the mess they find themselves in. Allowing large numbers of migrants into Australia that have no intention of being part of Australia. They set up their own communities. Segregation. This isn't good longterm. Just social disharmony. Devision. That is why most Australians voted against the voice to parliament .Everyone needs to be treated equal in Australia. That includes politicians, they are not our masters they are the people's servants. But what is happening today is politicians think Canberra knows best. Canberra stop dictatorship to Australians and stop governing for a few and govern for all Australians. Lessons to Australians stop lecturing. Talk is cheap actions speak louder. And mean a lot more. This is the Australian way the Australia i love. Stop saying what carn't be done and what can be done. And stop this notion that things can be free,nothing is free someone has to pay directly or i directly. So all should pay something. Socialism has never worked in history and it won't work now. Russia and China will eventually fail. People without purpose loose ego to achieve. So lets get back to give all peple purpose that they can do anything in life. Not just for the elites. A lot of the way rules are being regulated is about protecting the status quo of the elites. Handling out money isn't fixing cost of living. You have to attact imput costs that is driving inflation. So you don't need the hand outs. The hand outs are only feel good politics. Conning the people.

[@michaelclayton1827]

"Incentives"? What incentives do Aussies have to enlist? NONE! I'm NOT talking about money!!!! Australia has lost it's way big time and I don't think there is a politician/s that can fix it!

[@rogermckinnon5738]

True, what incentive do you have if when you obey a legally given order. To then find yourself being criminally charged later for obeying that order.

[@Buddy89538]

Lucky we’ve got a decent Air Force with modern electronic early warning aircraft and the JSFs other than that our ADF is at its knees.

[@Spockfucious]

Former SS, really Bolt, nice slip up 😂😂😂

[@StevenMilne-sm4fk]

They have the correct pronouns, job done🤭

[@DJ70404]

Australia has a problem. Our young men and women are not encouraged to join our armed services, and I believe in many instances they are actively discouraged. There is no real education on the benefits of a military career. On the other hand, we have a lot of 40 to 60 yo's who are more than capable and fit enough now to serve in our navy and would do so if given the opportunity to retire there. I think our older men and women who are are a under used resource, could easily handle military life. There are many who no longer have kids at home who could relish the opportunity for a good secure career change leading into the end of their working life. I would. I'm 53, and I could definitely pass the physical aspect, so could a lot of others I know.

[@vernonwhite4660]

I true explination

[@stevejeffries5843]

What physical aspect? My friends son just joined the Army. He told me that the day he went to do his physical, the Army, Navy and RAAF recruits were all there together, the Army recruits had to do the usual situps, pushups etc, then a Supervisor told the RAAF and Navy recruits they didn’t have to do them. Also the period of time now for the basic training course is 9 weeks instead of 12. When I joined up in the RAAF, all services did a 3 month basic training and you came out the other end very fit and not fat. Also male soldiers weren’t allowed to wear female dress uniforms or nail polish.

[@DJ70404]

@stevejeffries5843 I hear you. I can relate. The current doctrine is that if the bar can't be met, drop the bar. It's pathetic.

[@user-np9tq5ip8t]

They went woke

[@rexhamer9281]

You can have all your wind farms solar panels and nuclear power stations because I think this country’s first priority is defence of this country because if we can’t defend what we have got we will finish up with nothing think about it

[@graememcdonald5121]

Pathetic government

[@peterjames174]

the submarines are a joke.

[@robertdavie1221]

Australia has enjoyed generations of prosperity so where is the defence capability to show for all this wealth? Governments in this country on both sides of politics are elected and then promise all sorts of outcomes, only to do nothing while they serve out their time in office before passing the problem on to the next government who then repeat the same process. Labour sat on the submarine question when they were last in office for six years and did nothing before passing it on to the Coalition government who then lost another nine years. That is why we won't have any submarines to replace the Collins class until the 2040’s. Words mean nothing, anyone can say words. What matters in the end is real military capability which is why China is busily arming itself today. We have been badly served by both sides of politics in this country.

[@Chris-vv8gh]

Tiktok. The greatest weapon of war to ever exist

[@peterdoyle3205]

The one thing you don't hear from this channel is that Labour inherited the defence force in this poor state from the Libs and Nats.

[@joyfuldays596]

Really, Morison scraps the french subs and you blame Albanese. Even for skynews this is a tad pathetic

[@craigoverall5753]

The jab?

[@user-no4cy9wg4u]

Another incompetent comment.

[@waynefawkes1556]

Pffft

[@AP-ei4jt]

How could ADF grow weaker when you just spent 400B for 8 shiny nuke subs 😂😂😂

[@Martinoconnor-du6lc]

where are they?

[@carlbryson924]

Fake news! Money hasn’t been spent yet. That figure is over the life time of the new subs, that is, several decades.

[@Buddy89538]

No subs here yet. Gotta man those subs, can’t even man ships let alone new submarines 😂

[@garyemerson9310]

WHAT DEFENSE FORCE A TROOP OF BOY SCOUTS COULD OVERTAKE THEM