Comments by "" (@pwillis1589) on "Defence spending has gone ‘backwards’ and our soldiers ‘deserve better’" video.

  1. This is just factually incorrect. Under the Hawke Keating governments average spending on defence was 1.98% of GDP, under Howard 1.82, under Rudd/Gillard 1.79, and under Abbott/ Turnbull/ Morrison 1.89. The current government in its post election budget has spending at 1.96% with a projected increase in next May budget to 2.11%.
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  2.  @Design_no  I don't necessarily agree with using %GDP as a means of comparison as GDP varies so much. 2% of GDP could in actual fact be less money on Defence in a bad year than 1.7 in a good year. But it is a rough guide. Of recent times Defence spending was low under the Gillard government at 1.6 but at 1.93 under Rudd higher than Abbott or Turnbull ever reached. The highest spending ever on defence was under a Curtin Labor government of 38% and lowest under a Menzies government of 1.53. It is just a myth that conservative governments always spend more on defence. We will see how Labor handle defence spending over the next three years and then the people will decide.
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  3.  @Design_no  common public knowledge, or you can search under APG website.
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