Australia

Defence Minister Peter Dutton has vowed to speak out more openly about China’s acts of aggression, declaring everyday Australians are with the government and understand the threats posed by Beijing. Mr Dutton warned Australia was “already under attack” in the cyber world and suggested the nation’s cyber spy agency would need to be beefed up in the coming years to fight against the escalating wave of hack attacks.

In an exclusive interview with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Mr Dutton said the Australian Defence Force was prepared for action, saying the country needed to be in a position to defend its waters in the north and west as a clear priority.

The comments confirm a recent hardening of the Morrison government’s rhetoric, including towards China, and suggest it wants to have a more public discussion with Australians as it looks to spend more on defence capabilities amid a regional arms race fuelled by China’s growing assertiveness throughout the Indo-Pacific....MORE