Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Hansard source

I have said to Senator Hutchins that I will in fact give him details in relation to the question in terms of the costings and the detail of that program. But I reiterate the point that the coalition government under John Howard’s leadership is investing more in defence. It is also substantially making sure that the money that is spent on defence is for effective equipment and that it is also putting more money into the front end, with capabilities undreamt of under Labor. Labor ran down Australia’s defences, infrastructure and Defence Force personnel, and under the coalition we have built those defences to historic levels.