{"id":42332,"date":"2018-09-28T06:00:24","date_gmt":"2018-09-27T20:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/?p=42332"},"modified":"2018-09-27T17:55:52","modified_gmt":"2018-09-27T07:55:52","slug":"the-case-for-fixed-australian-defence-white-paper-cycles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/the-case-for-fixed-australian-defence-white-paper-cycles\/","title":{"rendered":"The case for fixed Australian defence white paper cycles"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/figure>\n

The number of years between Australian defence white papers (DWPs) has been shrinking. Between 1976 and 2009, it averaged a little over eight, which was similar to the average times between British and Canadian defence policy reports. Over recent years, however, Australia has had fresh strategic guidance documents in 2009, 2013 and 2016. The average is now one every 3.5\u00a0years.<\/p>\n

The Labor Party has reflected deeply on Australia\u2019s foreign and defence policies while in opposition\u00a0(see Shadow Foreign Minister Penny Wong\u2019s address to the Lowy Institute<\/a>), so there\u2019s a growing expectation that if it were to win the next election we could soon see another white paper round.<\/p>\n

The problem with DWPs is that they disrupt Defence and industry. Industry\u2019s immediate reaction to the announcement of a new one is to pause. Boards and executives delay decisions until they have greater clarity and certainty about defence investments.<\/p>\n

Similarly, the Defence civilian organisation and the three services either lose personnel to work on the white paper or are forced to delay work while they await directions. Meanwhile, the services\u2019 top brass stop focusing on potential future operations to defend their approved investments against rivals, while probing for any opportunity to grow their own budgets, personnel numbers, platforms or roles. The defence budget is finite, so for them a DWP is effectively a zero-sum game.<\/p>\n

The benefits of a good DWP are equally clear. Good strategic guidance provides industry and Defence with a clear direction, sharp priorities and well-defined objectives. They can get back to work in earnest, with confidence.<\/p>\n

When DWPs are too frequent, the defence community ends up in a constant state of uncertainty, anxiety and introversion. If they\u2019re too far apart, procurements might be delayed or roles and capabilities grow beyond the scope of what was envisaged in the last one.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve found that three different reasons are offered for developing a new DWP:<\/p>\n