Australia seeks more profit from war

Australia has said it plans to become one of the world's top 10 defence industry exporters within a decade.

The nation currently sells about A$2bn (£1.15bn; $1.6bn) in defence equipment each year, making it the 20th largest arms exporter. Manufacturers would now be offered government-backed loans to stimulate the industry, a A$3.8bn loan scheme to help Australian companies sell defence equipment overseas. The government will also establish separate agencies to better co-ordinate and promote industry exports.

Aid groups said the move would not help global efforts to build peace. Amnesty International, Oxfam Australia and Save the Children have all criticised the plan.

"We should not be getting into the game of marketing weapons which kill, maim, and bring great sorrow and destruction to communities around the world," Marc Purcell, chief executive of Australian Council for International Development, protested.

Tim Costello, the World Vision Australia chief advocate, attacked the plan, saying the government had cut humanitarian aid which saved lives while simultaneously discussing the merits of becoming a major weapons manufacturer and exporter.

“The government says this is an export and investment opportunity, but we would be exporting death and profiting from bloodshed,” Costello said, “There is only one purpose in making a weapon and that is to kill someone with it. Do we really want that to be what people think of when they see the brand ‘made in Australia’?...When the Australian government looks for a new manufacturing and export opportunity, the best they can do is weapons?” he said. “Millions of people across the world are running from violence and our answer to that is to produce more weapons. Whatever money we make from this dirty business will be blood money.”