Australia Desperate for Military Personnel... Expands Recruitment to Women, LGBTQ+, and Minorities

Australian Government "Building Military Inclusive of All Aspects Such as Gender, Race, and Sexual Orientation"
"Diversity and Military Strength Are Separate" Opposition Backlash Also

Richard Marles, Australian Minister of Defence, announced the expansion of recruitment activities targeting women, sexual minorities (LGBTI), and ethnic minorities to increase military personnel.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] The Australian government is expanding recruitment efforts targeting women, sexual minorities (LGBTI), and ethnic minorities to increase military personnel. This is interpreted as an attempt to secure diversity, attract the interest of Generation Z (born 1996?2005), and replenish military forces.

According to the Australian daily The Australian on the 29th, Richard Marles, Australia's Minister for Defence, stated on the 26th regarding the Australian Defence Force (ADF)'s plan to increase personnel to address strategic threats, "We will cultivate a military that encompasses all sectors of the population, including gender, race, sexual orientation, and class."

Minister Marles said, "For the ADF to appeal to Generation Z youth, it needs to better reflect the diversity of Australian society," adding, "We must create a diverse and open military as a place to acquire skills and build future careers." He further noted, "Through such diversity, the ADF's combat capabilities can also be strengthened."

In this regard, the opposition party opposed the move, arguing that diversity and military capability are separate issues. Phil Thompson, a Liberal Party member and veteran, criticized, "The current Labor government is confusing politics that embraces minorities such as sexual orientation with the fundamental role of the military," pointing out, "What the ADF needs is substantial military capability."

Australia formed the security alliance AUKUS with the United States and the United Kingdom in September last year and confirmed the deployment of nuclear submarines, strengthening its defense capabilities against China, which is expanding its military influence in the South Pacific. The country aims to increase its current force size of about 60,000 personnel to 80,000 by 2040.

In particular, Australia has allocated a budget of 270 billion Australian dollars (approximately 250 trillion Korean won) over the next decade for the purchase of new strategic assets such as submarines, missiles, and frigates, requiring personnel to operate them. The plan to secure nuclear submarines under the AUKUS alliance also requires an additional 2,500 naval personnel. However, it is known that recruitment results have been minimal, causing difficulties in expanding the military forces.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.