Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's good to see you, Deputy President, and it's good to see everyone back here for the upcoming fortnight. I rise today to speak in support of the Defence Housing Australia Amendment Bill 2025, which is currently before this place. The overarching purpose of the bill will allow Defence Housing Australia to provide housing and support services not just for Australian personnel but also for our United States and United Kingdom partners as part of the AUKUS alliance. In fact, the changes will allow DHA to provide housing to foreign military and civilian personnel and their families for the first time.

AUKUS is a cornerstone of the government's national security policy, aimed at protecting our nation's interests and our security. For this reason, the bill that is before us today is an important part of our long-term defence strategy, ensuring that we're ready to meet our obligations under AUKUS and to support our partners here on Australian soil. As chair of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee, I've seen the work that has gone into ensuring that the bill, as well as AUKUS more broadly, balances our national strategic interests with the needs of local communities.

These amendments that are before us are especially timely as we prepare for the establishment of the Submarine Rotational Force - West from as early as 2027, which will see nuclear powered submarines from the US and the UK operating on a rotational basis out of HMAS Stirling, in Western Australia. The US and UK personnel will also be working alongside our ADF men and women, so it is imperative that we support them properly. Utilising DHA will also ensure that the housing meets Defence standards, housing solutions are cost effective and overseas personnel aren't competing with the local housing market, which is an important point that I want to make here today. If these changes aren't adopted, then we risk delays in supporting AUKUS personnel, and that could affect the delivery times of this trilateral partnership.

It's also important to note that this model will support local builders and investors, with work already underway to identify new housing developments. DHA has signed agreements in Rockingham with four Western Australian companies, through the New Builds Volume Leasing Program, to support the delivery of new properties. Suppliers will also offer investors the opportunity to purchase properties off the plan which will be leased to DHA once construction is complete. This model helps keep DHA's upfront costs low, guarantees rent for investors and supports the local construction industry.

As we know, building a skilled trilateral workforce is critical to delivering Australia's future—our future, which means our conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarine capability through AUKUS. While our nuclear-powered submarine program under Pillar I of AUKUS has received much attention in the media, it is Pillar II which I'm quite excited about and which is equally transformative. This pillar focuses on cutting-edge areas such as cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and undersea systems. By collaborating in these advanced domains, Australia gains access to next-generation technologies, strengthens and builds the resilience of our defence forces and enhances our ability to respond to emerging threats across the Indo-Pacific. This means faster development and deployment of advanced systems, stronger defence networks and greater strategic self-reliance for Australia in what is an increasingly complex security environment.

On the jobs front, AUKUS will create around 20,000 direct jobs around our nation—and not just in shipbuilding hubs in the states of WA and South Australia. The benefits will also flow through the full supply chain—even in my home state of Victoria and right across the country, including in our regions—strengthening Australia's industrial base from the ground up, which is something that has been missing since the closure of the auto industry.

As we look ahead, AUKUS represents the single biggest investment in the history of Australia's defence capability, bringing record investment in defence, skills, jobs and infrastructure. This bill is about more than just housing; it is about making sure that Australia is ready to take full advantage of the historic and transformative opportunity that exists. It reflects the government's commitment to AUKUS and our confidence in Australian industry and DHA to deliver the infrastructure that is so desperately needed to support the success of the AUKUS partnership. I commend this bill to the Senate.