PM slams Abbott over defence cut speech

18 Jul 2012, 7:22 pm   -   Source: AAP

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says Tony Abbott has reached a "new low" in criticising Australia's defence cuts to an American audience.

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Prime Minister Julia Gillard has accused Tony Abbott of trashing Australia's security credentials during his visit to Washington.

Ms Gillard said the opposition leader had reached a new low in negativity in his criticism of defence spending cuts.

Defending Labor's record, she said defence spending exceeded $100 billion over the four-year forward estimates period for the first time ever under Labor and remained at that level.

"Mr Abbott has reached a new low in negativity by going overseas and criticising this nation's national security credentials in front of an overseas audience," she told reporters, adding that he had voted in favour of the defence budget he was now attacking.

Mr Abbott told the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, that Labor should not be cutting defence spending in a way that compromised defence capability, given that Australia's military capabilities were not vast.

"Certainly the last thing we want to do is dismay our friends and allies at what is for everyone a difficult time," he said.

Mr Abbott said a coalition government would seek efficiencies in defence spending.

But in an interview on Sky News, he declined to commit to restoring defence spending to former levels.

"I would want to get the advice of the defence chiefs as to what the impact of this will be on our military capability," he said.

In the May budget, the government slashed $5.45 billion from defence spending over the next four years.

The opposition was highly critical, saying the move would reduce defence spending to 1.6 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), a level not seen since 1938.

Some US figures have also criticised the cuts.

Former US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage said the Australian defence budget was inadequate and spending of two per cent of GDP would be appropriate.

He suggested Australia was taking a free ride on the US and risking its credibility as an ally.

Opposition defence spokesman David Johnston said this was a timely warning.

"The superficially expedient nature of these cuts means Australia is left without a credible defence administrative or strategic plan," he said in a statement.

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