Arya News - Australia, which has been so eager to boost its defense spending budget, is hoping to unlock up to $1.8 billion to allow the Australian Defense Force to tackle critical capability gaps, reports ABC News.
The money would come from the sale of historic defense properties. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s administration has flagged 67 sites for potential sale, planning to redirect investment towards northern bases and infrastructure supporting the AUKUS program.Top sites up for grabs include: A sweeping audit uncovered that much of the sprawling 3-million-hectare Defense Estate has “already deteriorated beyond the point of economical repair” and warned that maintaining the status quo “was not an option.” This overhaul could rake in roughly $3 billion and save $100 million a year in maintenance—but not without a $1.2 billion headache to cover sales, staff relocation, and contamination cleanup. The audit spotlights Australia’s costly bid to militarize northward, highlighting the northern bases as “critical to cooperation with international partners — especially the United States and Singapore.”