Nicolle Flint (Boothby, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence. Would the minister please update the House on the Morrison government's strong and effective measures to protect Australians from harm? Is the minister aware of any alternative approaches?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Boothby for her fine service to this parliament and for her deep commitment to veterans and to the defence community not just in her seat but in South Australia. I thank her for the decency she has demonstrated in her dealings with those individuals and many more.

It is the case that our nation and, indeed, the world faces one of the most complex and potentially catastrophic international security environments since the Second World War. We may be on the cusp of Russia going into the Ukraine and the tragedy that would follow that. The consequences, we know, would be catastrophic for the region, for Europe and, indeed, for the world. We're seeing the Chinese government amass thousands of missiles in our own region, now with 20 points of military presence in the South China Sea, and this government will do everything within its power to keep our country safe, to avoid any conflict in our region and to stare down those people that would seek to initiate conflict in our region. But you need to argue from a position of strength, and you need to have strong character to be able to do it. The problem is that, when I am asked about alternative approaches, it really makes you focus—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, on a point of order.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order, Mr Speaker. The minister is right in describing us as facing one of the most difficult strategic circumstances we've had—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

What's the point of order?

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) | Link to this | Hansard source

but he can't keep on that for more than 80 seconds before going to alternative approaches.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Defence is making a bit of a habit of this; he is returning to the dispatch box before being called. The Minister for Defence will resume his seat. I was just about to say that, if the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wants to make a point of order, he's entitled to do that, but he needs to state the point of order first up. Deputy Leader of the Opposition, just return to the dispatch box. Is your point of order relevance?

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) | Link to this | Hansard source

Indeed, it is.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. What I will say is this: the Minister for Defence was asked a question about what the government is doing in relation to strong and effective measures. He was then also asked about alternative approaches. The minister, before he launches into an 'alternative approaches' response, does need to state what the government's policies are that would, in effect, give the government strong and effective measures, so I would ask the minister to deal with that beforehand. I know the minister has been spoken to about this by Speaker Smith. Otherwise you're comparing an alternative approach to what? The Minister for Defence has the call.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) | Link to this | Hansard source

If I'm asked to compare the pair, I will compare the pair, Mr Speaker. If you ask about this government's policy to keep our country safe and secure, this Prime Minister and this government entered into the AUKUS agreement with our most important allies to keep our country safe. That Leader of the Opposition, when he was Kevin Rudd's Deputy Prime Minister, did nothing at all except rip money out of defence. If I'm asked to compare the pair, this Prime Minister has presided over a massive build-up of investment in our Defence Force personnel and in the equipment we're buying them. What did this Leader of the Opposition do? He demonstrated weakness as part of a government that was incompetent and hopeless when it came to national security.

I'm asked about national security. The approach of this Prime Minister of this government was to keep our borders secure.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Solomon will leave under 94(a).

The member for Solomon then left the chamber.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) | Link to this | Hansard source

This Prime Minister and I stopped the boats, and we kept them stopped. This Leader of the Opposition, when he was last in a position of power, presided over policies which saw people, including women and children, drowning at sea. He lost control of our borders, and it cost $16 billion. It was an international disgrace. None of those mistakes have been made by this Prime Minister. If you want to compare the pair, if you want to look at ways in which we are keeping our country secure, if you want a comparison of character, which is important, you don't hang out in a museum talking to Bob Carr and Paul Keating and some other murky figure You stand up for our country, which is what this leader is doing. (Time expired)