#Australian #DefenceMinister #RichardMarles says the success of #Australia’s #alliance with the #UnitedStates should not be measured against a single #president or federal government in Canberra, insisting the longstanding ties will endure.

#Trump has repeatedly criticised Australia for not assisting with the #IranWar, while federal #Labor, including Marles and Prime Minister Anthony #Albanese, say the #WhiteHouse has not made any specific request for assistance.

Speaking on ABC TV on Sunday, Marles said close ties to #Washington remained in the Australian national interest.

“I think it’s really important for all Australians to understand how significant the relationship is, and that the relationship is not one that should be measured in the context of any given US administration, or, for that matter, any given government in Australia,” he said.

“We’ve had the alliance in place since 1951 ... this is a long term strategic alliance in the national interest of our country, based on the fact that our two countries have shared values. We have both democracy [NO!], we both have the rule of law [NO!], we both have freedom of speech [NO!], and all of those endure well beyond governments of and any persuasion on either side.

“This continues to be a critically important relationship for Australia, and it will be for decades to come.”

#YeahNah #auspol #NeverTrustTrump #uspol #TrumpRegime #FromTheRiverToTheSea

‘The world feels less safe’, says defence minister, #RichardMarles.

‘More countries are engaged in conflict today than at anytime since the end of the 2nd world war.”

In the face of this, the #Albanese government is pursuing every avenue of increasing defence capability quickly – mostly through bigger defence appropriations.

Marles says #Australia is seeing the biggest peacetime increase in our defence spending in the country’s history.

Why is it so? #Trump #TrumpRegime #USPol #auspol