'Missing line of defence': RSL head sounds alarm

The RSL president, Peter Tinley, has criticized Australia's defense strategies, stating that the country's dependence on foreign fuel would have been a "soft landing" if vulnerabilities had been acknowledged earlier. Tinley pointed to economic, technological, and security threats that are rapidly encroaching and surpassing Australia's defense efforts.

He proposed that a government duty to keep Australia prepared should be reinforced by a commission analyzing national resilience and an adviser to determine the country's readiness. A proposed law would require annual public reporting on Australia's preparedness, which Tinley believes would have mitigated the impact of the recent Middle East crisis.

The RSL president's call for change comes amid opposition to Labor's plan to sell off 67 defence assets for $1.8 billion, including Sydney's Victoria barracks. Tinley, a former SAS soldier and major in the military, defended the RSL's role in national debates, emphasizing that the well-being of veterans and their families is at stake when defense readiness is inadequate.