In Hamburg, Germany, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says Australia is looking to bolster its missile defence systems, following North Korea's recent successful test of a ballistic missile.
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But the Unites States' billion dollar Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, or THAAD, which has recently been deployed in South Korea, is not suitable to Australia's needs, according to Mr Turnbull.
Fairfax Media revealed on Saturday that former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who opposed an Australian missile defence system while head of government, has reversed course and now believes Australia should arm itself with a missile shield as a defensive response to North Korea's increasing capability.
North Korea's recent tests have overshadowed other key issues such as counter-terrorism and trade at the G20 summit in Hamburg, with world leaders including Mr Turnbull pressing China, in particular, to do more to rein in the hermit kingdom.
In a strongly worded statement issued by the US, Japan and South Korea, the three nations said they would never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea and said the rogue state should return to the negotiating table.
Asked on Friday about acquiring a missile defence system, Mr Turnbull said the Australia's focus was on protecting deployed forces in the field and that the answer to the North Korean threat was the denuclearisation of North Korea.
"We are examining missile defence, in fact, we're developing missile defences as you know, as you would've seen in our Defence White Paper. The focus is on protecting our forces both at sea and on the ground – our deployed forces in the field," he said.
Mr Rudd's comments referred to the need for a system that would protect population centres such as Darwin – which is now potentially within range of North Korea's missiles – rather than the systems Mr Turnbull referred to.
"In terms of a missile defence shield for Australia overall, I know there has been some and you would've seen some briefings given in Australia while I've been away, there has been talk about the THAAD system – that's not really suitable for our situation – but I can assure you that we are constantly examining how we can ensure that Australians are safe," he said.
"The answer in respect of North Korea is the denuclearisation of North Korea and for it to stop its reckless conduct, its reckless and provocative conduct, and as I said to you yesterday, the nation with overwhelmingly the greatest leverage over North Korea is China. And so we look to China to bring North Korea to its senses."
