Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy President, and you are right, you did call it in order after a few minutes of grappling around trying to find five people who were going to support it. And Senator Brandis, if I have significantly got up your nose and upset you, I am really pleased about that. Perhaps what I could do again is highlight to the people who might be listening on broadcast that there is not sufficient support across the other side of this chamber for a decent debate on defence.

If we are going to put a discussion about the defence budget in perspective, in 2009-10 the Labor government, for the first time, budgeted over $100 billion for defence across the forward estimates. That was the first time that had been done, and it took a Labor government to do that. In this 2012-13 budget the government has budgeted $103.3 billion for defence across the four-year forward estimates period. This level of funding will maintain Australia's status in the top 15 nations in terms of world defence expenditure, along with Canada either 13th or 14th on that list.

The global fiscal environment has affected the funding that many governments are devoting to defence. Countries such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom have all recently announced reductions to their defence spending. On a per capita basis, Australia continues to be second on the list of military expenditure in the G7 countries. Senator Brandis, put that figure your head as you walk out: we are second on the list of military expenditure by G7 countries. In real dollar terms, we spend a far greater amount than any of our regional neighbours.

As part of the 2012-13 budget, there has also been a significant reprioritisation of $2.9 billion to ensure that funding is directed to high-priority areas including a range of new—that is new—cost pressures across the portfolio, including the following priority areas for investment. So let us have a look at exactly what they are: $700 million additional investment in Collins class submarine sustainment; $550 million for information technology remediation activities across Defence; $400 million for improved housing for Australian Defence Force personnel; $330 million for relocation of defence units from Moorebank to Holsworthy to allow development of the intermodal transport hub; $270 million in additional funding for Navy fleet sustainment; $220 million for investment in maintenance and upgrade of the defence estate; $160 million for fringe benefits tax liabilities; $150 million for enhanced garrison support services; and, finally, $70 million for further investment in international engagement under the Defence Cooperation Program. These are some of the areas that we have had to resource. We have had to look at the defence budget recommendations to work out how we meet these and to ensure we have minimum impact on the delivery of core defence capabilities. We are doing this.

But what does the budget review actually mean for our troops? As a senator for the Northern Territory and living in Darwin, I know that we have had thousands of members of the defence forces who have been on operations for our country in recent years. The 1st Brigade is once again preparing some of these troops for operations in Afghanistan, and I want to use this opportunity put on the record my strong and unwavering commitment to our troops in Afghanistan. The protection of our forces over there is, and has always been, our highest priority. Our government has committed to force protection initiatives worth $1.6 billion following the Force Protection Review initiated by former defence minister Senator Faulkner. The improvements delivered so far include new lighter body armour, upgraded combat helmets, longer range machine guns and upgraded Bushmaster vehicles.

As many of you would know, the insurgents in Uruzgan province use IEDs, improvised explosive devices, to hit our troops and our troops were suffering from some of the heavy injuries they sustained, including loss of limbs and in some cases loss of life. So, on 12 December last year, the Minister for Defence, Minister Smith, and the Minister for Defence Materiel, Minister Clare, announced the purchase of four route clearance systems that will be used by Australian Army engineers to detect and clear explosive hazards, creating a safer pathway for troops as they patrol Uruzgan province.

At that time our ministers also announced that we will upgrade around 200 Bushmaster vehicles to provide troops with an even higher level of protection against IEDs. The upgrades are occurring and include energy-absorbing seats and stronger welding to reduce further the probability of lower limb and spinal injury occurring from an explosion.

Bushmasters have saved Australian lives in Afghanistan. The vehicles have proven to be very effective, providing Australian troops with mobility and protection, particularly against these damaging IEDs. I recently represented my colleague Minister Warren Snowdon at the Australian Industry and Defence Network-Northern Territory gala awards dinner in Darwin and I had the privilege of having a look at the static display of the Bushmaster and other hardened vehicles that were there with, of course, their professional and knowledgeable crews from the Australian Defence Force on hand to guide us through this new upgrade. I had a look in a Bushmaster. It was quite impressive as to the reinforcements, the length and now the capability of this vehicle.

On 12 July this year, Minister Smith and Minister Clare announced the proposed acquisition of a further 214 Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles for the ADF. This announcement is in addition to the purchase of 101 Bushmasters announced by the government in May last year. So we are listening. We have reversed recommended budget measures in relation to airfares for single people. We have a defence community that deserves the best support, a defence community that will, as we know, ensure that our country is posturing efficiently, effectively and intelligently into the future. This government recognises this by the way in which we fund our Defence Force, by the way in which we support our groups on the ground out in the field in Afghanistan. As I said at the beginning of my speech, this is a government that has, for the first time in many years, provided an increase in this budget over the forward estimates. (Time expired)