David Fawcett (Wakefield, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Defence. Would the minister inform the House how last night’s budget will enhance Australia’s Defence Force capability?

Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Wakefield for his question. He spent much of his pre-parliamentary working life in Australia’s Defence Force. Last night the Treasurer announced on behalf of the government an unprecedented long-term commitment to Australia’s defence. The government in last night’s budget announced in total a $15.9 billion increase in investment in Australia’s Defence Force over the next 10 years. That comprises $5.2 billion to add to programs that are already in place and to bring in new ones, such as the acquisition of four C17 Globemaster heavy airlift aircraft and $1½ billion to strengthen and improve the size of the Australian Army. It also involves $560 million to support important initiatives in Australia’s reserves. But in addition to that, $10.7 billion has been committed by increasing in real terms every year by three per cent, above and beyond inflation, the amount of money the Australian government will invest in the Australian Defence Force from years 2011-12 through to 2015-16.

What this means in plain language for many Australians is that we will be able to build three air warfare destroyers here in Australia, in South Australia. We will also be building two amphibious ships which will carry up to 1,000 troops and six helicopters. We will be acquiring, at a cost of around $15 billion, a Joint Strike Fighter. We will also be replacing, at a cost of around $2½ billion, the Army’s trucks, trailers and land fleet. It also means that we will spend more than half a billion dollars more on improving the naval surface air warfare capacity.

What this means for Australians and for the next generation of Australians is that, notwithstanding the uncertainty that we face, the Australian government and the Australian Defence Force will be well prepared for the future. We all need to appreciate that what is going to most influence and threaten our secure future is not always the things we know but the things we do not, and this government is determined that we will be prepared.