By Peter Jennings*
Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s National Press Club address on Wednesday (Feb 2020) foreshadowed a major role for the Australian Defence Force in responding to natural disasters. From Operation Sovereign Borders to the Pacific ‘step-up’, the Department of Defence has long been Morrison’s go-to agency when the government needs fast responses to difficult problems.
The policy change is welcome, but no one should underestimate the salesmanship task Morrison faces to persuade state and territory governments, emergency and fires services—as well as Defence—that big change is needed.
