Australia to lift defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2033, expert raises concerns over accounting method

Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles has sparked a major debate with the 2026 National Defence Strategy, setting an ambitious target to lift defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP. The government calls it a historic investment in national security, but the opposition accuses Labor of “artificially inflating” the figures. So the real question is: is Australia actually becoming more secure or just making its defence budget sound bigger on paper? Let’s break down what’s really happening behind the headlines with international affairs expert Dalbir Ahlawat.