Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

  I remind the honourable member to take his medication after that enthusiastic address! Today, the government released its defence white paper. It is an exciting time not only for me for my electorate of Wright but for every member who has a defence facility in their electorate.

Kokoda Barracks were established in 1942 as an Army warfare training centre, where we sent our soldiers to train before they went off to Papua New Guinea—thus the name Kokoda. It was also utilised in the sixties and seventies, before we sent our troops off to Vietnam, because of its similar landscape. Kokoda Barracks also host the Defence Intelligence Training Centre. Kokoda Barracks are an integral part of the Canungra community. The community of Canungra has a very tight relationship with the defence facility and once a year the Canungra Chamber of Commerce paint the town pink with every business participating.

Labor left defence spending at a record low of 1.5 per cent of GDP, the lowest record since 1938. Today's announcement reinstates the Australian government's commitment to bring defence spending to two per cent by 2020. The Prime Minister is on track to reinstate this spending and I am fighting hard for my community of Canungra, in particular Kokoda Barracks. (Time expired)