Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. How will Australia and the European Union strengthen cooperation through the new security and defence partnership?

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question and acknowledge his distinguished service in the Australian Army. With Kaja Kallas, the Vice President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Commission, the Foreign minister and I signed the Australia-EU Security and Defence Partnership. The moment that Russia and China signed a no-limits agreement on the eve of Russia's immoral and illegal invasion of Ukraine was the moment that a war in Eastern Europe became deeply relevant to Australia's national interest, because there are not many rules based orders; there is one. The lessons, good and bad, that will be learnt in Ukraine stand to be applied in the Indo-Pacific. So today there is, in fact, a deep connection between the Indo-Pacific and Europe, which is why this partnership is so important.

The partnership will see increased cooperation between Australia and Europe across security and defence in cybersecurity, in space, in combating terrorism financing and in sharing information. Really importantly, it will see greater cooperation in the defence industry. So many of the platforms that are operated by the Australian Defence Force were designed or built by European companies. Navantia, a Spanish company, designed our air warfare destroyers, our supply ships and our landing helicopter dock ships—the largest ships in the Royal Australian Navy. Thales, a French company, has been building Bushmasters for the Australian Army in Bendigo for many years, and those Bushmasters are now providing critical service in Ukraine. Rheinmetall, a German company, is building more than 200 combat reconnaissance vehicles, the Boxers, in Brisbane for the Australian Army. In addition, they are building another 100 more, which are being sent back to Europe, for the German army.

It's against this existing strong backdrop that the partnership will help provide for a seamless defence industrial base between Australia and Europe. Australia and Europe are both democratic. We enjoy freedom of speech. We share values, and we have complete trust. In difficult times, the Australia-EU Security and Defence Partnership will be the basis upon which Australia and Europe will navigate a challenging world together.