Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am simply appalled at the delays by the Rudd government, in particular the Minister for Defence, and their failure to make a decision—a very simple decision and one that has already in fact been made for them. I am referring to the allocation of 30 decommissioned Leopard tanks to RSLs and veterans associations around Australia. These Leopard tanks were replaced by the new Abrams tanks. All the minister has to do is to uphold the decision that was made by the previous coalition government and that was announced in early November 2007. That announcement also included the necessary funding to have the Leopard tanks delivered to the nominated organisations at government cost.

Two of those decommissioned Leopard tanks have been allocated to the RSLs in Collie and Bunbury in my electorate of Forrest. These two RSLs have been waiting very patiently since last November—some nine months—for the Rudd government to make a decision and officially notify all recipients regarding the delivery of their gifted and approved Leopard tank. Back in April 2008, Mr Gerry Tyrrell, the curator of the Bunbury RSL and Army Reserve military collection wrote to the Labor Minister for Defence, but the minister has not even had the courtesy to give a response to date.

I first started making inquiries with the minister’s office in January and was told then that a decision would be made in about two to three weeks time, following a review of the selection and allocation process to determine whether the Labor government would uphold the previous government’s allocation decision or whether it would call for resubmissions to consider applications all over again. But to date there has been only deafening silence. I also wrote to the minister on 16 June and yet now, some seven months on, there has still been no response. The Collie RSL has also been in contact with me because they know that I have been pursuing this with the Labor defence minister.

The Leopard tanks are of historical and cultural significance to many Australians, both within the armed services and across the broader community. The provision of a Leopard tank to the Bunbury and Collie RSLs would be symbolic of the link that many Australians have had with the Australian Defence Force and the great contributions that our men and women in uniform have made to Australia in many spheres of engagement around the world. RSLs and veterans associations have shown overwhelming interest in the decommissioned Leopard tanks. Indeed, Mr Tyrrell has said that they are questioned daily by the general community, schools and community groups on when their tank will be delivered. He also confirmed that the number of people making inquiries and waiting to see the tank up close and personal has been overwhelming. But Mr Tyrrell also believes that, should the Labor government not follow through on the decision to allocate the tanks, Australian RSLs and veterans associations, along with the general public, will feel considerably let down. It would be a slap in the face to all RSLs, veterans and the community as a whole. Both the Bunbury and Collie RSLs and the wider community are very excited about the Leopard tank allocations and look forward to being able to announce the impending arrival at the next Anzac Day service in 2009.

Surely this Labor government and, in particular, the Minister for Defence could have made a decision before now and respected the contributions made by veterans in defending Australia, its people, interests and values, and provided these decommissioned Leopard tanks to the RSLs already chosen. In fact, I seek a more urgent decision time frame and call on the minister to bring any speculation to an end. I urge the minister to uphold the allocation decision of the previous government and allow a Leopard tank to be provided to the well-deserving Bunbury and Collie RSL groups.