Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week in Bendigo we had a very special visitor come to our town. At the invitation of the City of Greater Bendigo, the Ukrainian ambassador to Australia visited Thales, where we manufacture the Bushmaster. He came for a specific purpose, to meet and thank the men and women who manufacture the Bushmaster.

Everyone on this side of the House and anyone in the armed services, particularly the Army, knows how important and valuable this vehicle is. It saves lives. We are very proud of its history. Its legacy is rooted in Labor governments, first from the idea when Kim Beazley was the minister, through to our government. But it was a little bit embarrassing when the visitor was in town and at Thales, because there were all these Hawkeis lined up on the lawns. The previous government left without paying the bill. There are 550 Hawkeis sitting on the lawns that our government has inherited and is now working with the company about what to do. Of course, the Ukrainian ambassador didn't miss the opportunity to say that he'd have them, that his country would welcome any extra support.

One of the things that makes me so proud was that not only did our Prime Minister visit Ukraine in his early days as Prime Minister but he was able to stand in front of an Australian-made, Bendigo-made Bushmaster when he was there.