Wayne Mapp: Former Defence Minister on the US bolstering military presence in Australia
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Why is the United States accelerating its military presence in Australia?
The ever evolving geopolitical landscape sees the Americans expanding into the Pacific, with the Australian Defence Minister Richard Miles in Washington yesterday meeting with Hegaseth. Uh with more American forces expected on Australian bases, uh more marine rotations through Darwin, around a thousand US Navy personnel set for Western Australia from next year as well. Wayne Mapp, former Defence Minister, is back with us on all of this. He's with uh Wayne, morning. Good morning, Mike. That move towards Australia from the Americans, is that a Trump thing or is would any American president be looking at this given what's happening in the Pacific?
It's really an extension of President Obama's Pacific pivot, which he announced back in two thousand fourteen. The fact that the um Petitskus is doing this in Washington tells you that they're really deadly serious about about locating into the Pacific, you know.
How does the Pacific pivot shape U.S. strategy against regional threats?
We hear all about the Middle East. This is the long term issue. Right the Pacific.
With a view to doing what?
Well, the United States has got territory right across the Pacific. Hawaii, Wake, Midway, um, Guam and of course in our own region, American Samoa. That's not true in the Atlantic. So the United States needs Australia as the ball walk kind of underpin the defence of all of that.
Right.
Is Australia willingly partnering with the U.S. or being pressured into it?
Are Austral Australia in boots at all or are they dragged somewhat kicking and screaming?
They're in boots and all. Why? For them the United States is the preeminent partner. You know, how many ministers of defence have been to Washington recently from European countries? Not too many and it's always a bit of a sparky thing. complete contrast here, they're absolutely brothers in arms, so to speak. And the Austr you know, the the Australians said, or the Minister Mar Marple said, two point eight percent is being spent on defence. Two percent two point eight percent of GDP. That's more than twice the percentage that New Zealand spends.
What infrastructure investments are the U.S. and Australia making in the Pacific?
They are serious.
Okay. So where they go do we now go given we're increasingly aligning ourselves with Australia?
In a sort of watch a kind of way, yes. I mean you saw the developments in um the Pin Rin with the new um port being developed there, US money going in, that's the bigger chunk, and we're putting in some as well. The Australians and the Americans an announced five hundred and eighty billion dollars of infrastructure development in the Pacific Or forum Nations. I mean it's a big sum of money. They are serious.
Yeah, it is.
Why is replacing Australia’s naval fleet becoming a critical issue?
And and having said that, we've increased under Collins and this term particularly, our expenditure. Will the pressure go on for more?
Uh, yes. Well inevitably uh the the big issue for us is the replacement of the naval fleet. That's a multi billion dollar exercise. And we're going to get pressure, especially from Australia, to be serious about that.
Nice to talk to you. Have a good uh weekend and appreciate the insight. Wayne Map, who's the former defence uh minister.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
Why is the United States accelerating its military presence in Australia?
0:00–0:49
2
How does the Pacific pivot shape U.S. strategy against regional threats?
0:49–1:18
3
Is Australia willingly partnering with the U.S. or being pressured into it?
1:18–1:58
4
What infrastructure investments are the U.S. and Australia making in the Pacific?
1:58–2:31
5
Why is replacing Australia’s naval fleet becoming a critical issue?
2:31–3:08
Speakers
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