Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I certainly can. It's a great question from a senator for regional Victoria. In Gippsland, as I said on Friday, it was fabulous to welcome the first PC-21 aircraft with Minister Chester. This will establish the base as a training hub for Air Force. It will deliver long-term benefits for the ADF, but it's also a very significant investment for the local region. The relocation of the ADF's Basic Flying Training School provides a significant economic boost for the region and includes $200 million worth of investment in new facilities at East Sale itself. That will include new maintenance and training facilities and student accommodation to support the new pilot training system. It is fair to say that the student accommodation was in need of a timely upgrade. We anticipate that $17 million to $19 million will be injected into the East Sale region per year, which will create around 90 ongoing jobs. It is an important investment for regional Victoria and regional Australia.