Australian defence force needs more funding to juggle national disasters and military role, inquiry told

Royal commission hears more frequent natural disasters in Australia will become a major strategic problem in its own right'

The Australian defence force will need a bigger budget to meet growing community expectations that it will help out during natural disasters while maintaining preparedness for a traditional military threat, the royal commission into national natural disaster preparedness has heard.

The ADF were called in to help the bushfire response this summer, and have been embedded in health and police departments as part of the response to the coronavirus pandemic.