Arrogance and Incompetence: National Security Leader Slams Government’s Failure on Security Strategy

One of Parliament’s strongest national security campaigners did not hold back this week as Parliament debated his motion on the dire need for a National Security Strategy.

Andrew Wallace, the Deputy Chair of Parliament’s powerful Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security slammed decision-makers for their failure to deliver a comprehensive plan to counter Australia’s foreign and domestic threats, as wars and revolutions upend decades of relative peace throughout the world.

Mr Wallace, who is also the Deputy Chair of Parliament’s Defence Subcommittee, pointed to a long list of funding cuts and failures as evidence that Labor could not be trusted to manage Australia’s national security, with a demonstrable pattern over the last two decades of callous cuts and dangerous incompetence.

He cited the disastrous NZYQ case, which saw sex offenders and paedophiles walking suburban streets; funding cuts to the Coalition’s effective Operation Sovereign Borders program; $80 billion in defence cuts and delays; and the granting of visas to Palestinians without appropriate security screening.

“This is the reality of Labor’s recklessly weak leadership when it comes to our national security,” Mr Wallace said. “And their latest reshuffle won’t fix the problem. We need more than smoke and mirrors. We need a National Security Strategy, and we need it yesterday.”

“We need a comprehensive plan which brings together all levels of government, industry and every area of our community to look to how we can protect Australians and secure their future,” Mr Wallace continued.

“Managing our fuel, food and water; powering our manufacturers and builders; taking care of our citizens and our livestock; and restoring economic stability and resilience are all key factors in Australia’s long-term national security, and on every front, this Labor Government have put Australians in harms way through their arrogance and their incompetence,” Mr Wallace added.

“Anthony Albanese and his ministers cannot be trusted to keep Australians safe. If you want a photo opp or a press conference, call Anthony Albanese,” Mr Wallace concluded, “But if you want the strong leadership we need to protect Australians and secure their future, you can count on Peter Dutton and the Coalition to be there.”

Mr Wallace paid tribute to the late Senator Jim Molan AO DSC, with whom he campaigned for a grand strategy to counter Australia’s defence and national security threats. He cited Molan, who once declared that, “Australia is operating in a strategy-free environment. Even more than tanks and ships and planes, Australia needs a [national security] strategy and a government that can deliver it.”