Australia plans to significantly increase its defence spending under a future coalition government led by Peter Dutton, who has pledged $21 billion over the next five years, raising defence expenditure to 2.5% of GDP and aiming for 3% within a decade. Dutton criticized the current Labor government for inaction amid global uncertainties and emphasized the need to strengthen the Australian Defence Force. The announcement follows a contentious leaders’ debate, where both leaders exchanged accusations, with Labor also unveiling a $78 million initiative to expedite training for homebuilders to address the housing shortage.
