Comments by "" (@pwillis1589) on "Peter Dutton ‘went pretty hard’ on Labor during defence debate" video.

@danielm173 Average spend under the Hawke/Keating was 1.96% of GDP, under the Howard government 1.77% and under Rudd/Gillard 1.72%, and Labor spent more than the Abbott and Turnbull governments it was only in the last budget that defence spending got above 2%. It is just a false statement to say defence spending under Labor has been cut.
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@danielm173 In the same way the Howard Liberal government reduced Defence spending after the Hawke/Keating governments
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@danielm173 I totally agree the year on year spend varies, that is why I quoted an average spend which gives a more accurate picture of the entire length of a governments term. Turnbull was critical of Labor 1.60% spend in one year however failed to mention it hit 1.93 in one year which was higher than his government ever spent. Once again the data disproves this notion that Labor always cut defence spending. It simply isn't true.
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@danielm173 once again I agree with you, and I think we probably both agree that politizing the debate on defence into a we are better than you is extremely dangerous. The country should spend on defence what is needed not a particular % of GDP, but that is the way both sides have framed it and it that case the Libs are wrong as they have both spent more and less than Labor depending on the economic circumstances at the time.
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