Australia's military will still respond to natural disasters as the government considers a reserve force, Emergency Minister Murray Watt says.
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Defence force personnel and army Chinook helicopters have been deployed to help recovery and evacuation efforts in far north Queensland following destruction by ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
Senator Watt reaffirmed the Australian Defence Force will continue to respond to crises as the federal government considers a reserve force and other measures.
"We've made clear that we will always make the ADF available to the states when they're needed," he told ABC Radio on Wednesday.
"But when we see these extreme events occur, it does place immense pressure on the Australian Defence Force and all of our emergency systems."
Senator Watt said the government was assessing the resources needed at a federal level to manage this "new future that we are entering with climate change".
Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst John Coyne said the idea of a reserve force was a "strong one," as the nation had a long history of volunteerism.
But Australia needed to be mindful many reservists were already healthcare workers or emergency services personnel, and the same pool of people couldn't be drawn upon.
"It is a wise solution, but it's certainly no silver bullet," Dr Coyne told AAP.
Another factor which placed pressure on the ADF was a community expectation "deeply ingrained in our DNA" that the military would be called on due to its recognised skills and capabilities.
Dr Coyne said changing that mindset was going to be "very, very difficult".
The defence strategic review released in 2023 warned the increasing number of major climate catastrophes risked the government's capacity to respond effectively, and detracted from "Defence's primary objective of defending Australia".
It found the climate events were placing concurrent pressures on the ADF that had "negatively affected force preparedness, readiness and combat effectiveness".
Senator Watt said all options had been consulted on, as the government invested in a non-profit disaster relief organisation led by veterans.
The defence force has increasingly been called on by governments to assist as the nation is battered by repeated extreme flooding and bushfires.
The review found the military was "not structured or appropriately equipped" to act as a domestic disaster recovery agency in any sustainable way.
Australian Associated Press
