A new Federal inquiry will assess Australia’s readiness for war amid fears of the nation’s vulnerabilities in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment. “To be frank, this is an area which really hasn’t received much attention in Australian public policy since the end of the Second World War,” Mr Marles said on Wednesday. The inquiry will also identify “strengths and gaps” in Australia’s national civil preparedness and resilience and look at how other countries have prepared for possible conflicts. Engaging “every sector” of the economy and civil society was crucial to the “task of defending the nation”, committee chair and Labor senator Deborah O’Neill said. Deputy chair and Liberal senator Dave Sharma warned Australia’s strategic environment was “deteriorating” and increasing geopolitical risk warranted a “greater degree of resilience, preparedness and self-reliance”.