'With the right investments,' Albanese commits to defence, intelligence and law enforcement support

The Prime Minister will confirm during a speech at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday that he is preparing to release and respond formally to the landmark, but currently secret, Defence Strategic Review before the May budget.

The Albanese government has an election commitment to lift defence funding to over 2 per cent of GDP over the forward estimates, but it has been waiting for the outcome of the strategic review.

"With the right investments in our capability and sovereignty, our defence force can be made ready for future challenges," Mr Albanese is expected to say.

"These investments include announcing, through AUKUS, the optimal pathway by which Australia will operate our nuclear-powered submarines."

The review by former chief of the Defence Force Sir Angus Houston and former Labor defence minister Stephen Smith was handed to the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister Richard Marles last week, with Sir Angus describing it as 'the most important' work that he has done in Defence.

The Prime Minister is to talk up the AUKUS trilateral security agreement between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom to acquire conventionally armed nuclear subs.

"This will be the single biggest leap in our defence capability in our history," he is expected to say.

"Yet AUKUS is about much more than nuclear submarines, or even technological inter-operability. AUKUS is about the future.

"It further formalises the common values and the shared interest that our three nations have in preserving peace and upholding the rules and institutions that secure our region and our world."

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Ahead of the unclassified version of the review and the May budget, Mr Albanese will recommit to defence resourcing.

"As I said before the election at the Lowy Institute, I can promise all Australians that our government will ensure that Defence has the resources it needs to defend our nation and deter potential aggressors," he is expected to say.

"Secondly, while there will inevitably be a focus on the capability gaps we need to fill, we should never lose sight of the extraordinary service performed by the men and women of our ADF."

He is to point to next week's Cyber Security Roundtable in Sydney which will engage representatives from industry, civil society, security agencies and the public service.

As well, he will stress Labor's "clear commitment" to Australian Border Force and the three pillars of Operation Sovereign Borders after last week's shift from Temporary Protection Visas and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas to permanent visa status.

And the Prime Minister will hint at support for intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies to guard against threats, "whether that be foreign interference and espionage, or violent extremism".

"The shocking events at Wieambilla, which claimed the lives of two young police officers and an innocent neighbour were a terrible reminder of the dangers of violent extremism," he is to say.

"That devastating day also underscored the importance of continuing to upgrade our national co-operation on gun reform."

While federal Parliament debates Labor's proposed revamp of the safeguard mechanism, a Coalition-introduced measure designed to curtail carbon emissions from the nation's big industrial polluters, Mr Albanese will point to meaningful action on climate change being central to Australia's diplomatic strategy.

"Upgrading our national emissions reduction target to 43 per cent by 2030 sent a message to the world about Australia returning to the ranks of responsible nations," he is to say.

"But the target, the number, is only the 'what'.

"The safeguard mechanism before the Parliament is a big part of the 'how', empowering business and industry with the certainty and confidence to invest in reducing their emissions."