Albanese rebuffs Trump over call to lift to defence spending

Canberra/Beijing | The proportion of taxpayers' money allocated to defence is at its highest since 2017, an analysis of budget papers reveals, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese brushed off calls from the Trump administration to boost military spending despite China stepping up its tempo in the regional arms race. Albanese on Thursday defended the speed of the government's increase in defence spending after Elbridge Colby, who has been nominated to become the Pentagon's under-secretary for policy, urged Australia to lift its military budget to 3 per cent of gross domestic product to counter China. Loading…