Sky News host Andrew Bolt has praised Defence Minister Richard Marles for his “scarily honest” assessment of the Australian Defence Force and how it has been “caught with its pants down”.

Mr Marles unveiled another $50 billion of ADF spending over the next 10 years as he launched a new defence government strategy at the National Press Club on Wednesday.

The Defence Minister said the complex strategic circumstances being seen around the world required Australia to conduct the “biggest re-assessment” of its strategic posture in 35 years.

Mr Bolt claimed most of the fault is with past Liberal governments as Australia will not be in “fighting shape” for almost a decade.

“Richard Marles is a smart man and spoke very well today, he can see the danger, he can see what we need,” he said.

“But the people really running the Albanese government won't give him to money to buy it, and fast.”