The Minister for Defence, Stephen Smith presents the details of the 2013 Defence White Paper at Fairbairn Defence Establishment Canberra, on May 3, 2013. *** Local Caption *** The 2013 Defence White Paper was released on 3 May 2013 by the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and Minister for Defence, Stephen Smith.
The Government brought forward delivery of the new White Paper from its original 2014 timetable to address a number of significant international and domestic developments influencing Australia’s national security and defence posture that have emerged since the 2009 Defence White Paper.
The White Paper considers in detail the implications of the changing strategic circumstances in our region for Australia’s national security and defence, including the ongoing strategic shift to our region, the Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean Rim, particularly the shift of economic weight to our region; the US re-balance to the Asia Pacific and Australia’s enhanced practical cooperation with the US pursuant to our 60-year-old Alliance relationship; the ADF’s operational drawdown from Afghanistan, Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands; Australia’s own Force Posture Review and the ongoing adverse effects of the Global Financial Crisis.