Jessica Collins (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

In an era of increasing geopolitical volatility and fragmented global supply chains, the concept of national security has evolved far beyond the strength of our nation's military. For Australia, true security is now synonymous with national resilience—that is, the ability of our domestic systems to withstand, adapt to and recover from external shocks. While a well-funded Australian Defence Force remains the primary shield, its effectiveness is extrinsically linked to the robustness of our internal infrastructure, manufacturing and social fabric. Put simply, a nation that cannot build or maintain its own essential equipment is inherently vulnerable.

Manufacturing is the bedrock of this self-reliance and, under this Labor government, we have seen a hollowing out of our domestic capacity to manufacture at home due to higher energy costs, excessive taxation and stifling red and green tape, all a consequence of bad Labor policy. Without a sophisticated domestic manufacturing base, Australia remains at the mercy of international logistics, which can be severed in an instant by conflict or pandemics.

Sovereign defence construction is particularly impacted by vulnerable, corruptible supply chains. By building our own naval vessels, armoured vehicles and standoff weapons systems on home soil, we ensure that maintenance and upgrades are not dependent on the whims or availability of foreign powers. Australia's self-sufficiency must also encompass whole-of-society necessities. We have dangerous exposure in our supply of pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, liquid fuels and water purification, all of which are necessities not easily acquired in wartime.

Resilience also requires a pragmatic approach to energy security. To power a modern economy and a high-tech military, Australia requires a cost-effective and reliable base-load power supply fuelled by a diverse energy mix well beyond intermittent, weather-dependent infrastructure. Moving away from ideological constraints in energy policy and stopping the import of slave-built, short-life, fickle infrastructure for renewable energy allows for a grid that prioritises stability and sovereign control over external fuel and infrastructure dependencies.

As our physical infrastructure becomes more interconnected, cybersecurity has emerged as a front line of national defence. National resilience also means protecting our financial systems, utilities and government data from state sponsored actors. That's because the first act of war will not be fired from a barrel but exploited through cyberspace. A resilient Australia is one where both the public and private sectors have the digital fortifications necessary to prevent the crippling of the national economy through a keyboard.

Perhaps the most overlooked factor in national resilience is social cohesion. A divided society is easily exploited by foreign interference and disinformation. Resilience is found in a population that trusts its institutions and remains united by common values. When a community is cohesive it is significantly more difficult for external adversaries to destabilise a nation from within. This Labor government has stoked division by dog whistling terrorists at our national monuments, ignoring embattled communities and importing those who do not share our democratic values or embody our great Australian values.

National resilience cannot be achieved through government spending alone. Our resilience strategy must have appropriate government support and deregulation. A Liberal partnership of the Department of Defence and the industry of defence would empower the private sector to build the very facilities—from labs to refineries—that the nation requires. This is important because, when domestic industry is unfettered and strategically supported, it creates a feedback loop that strengthens the military. A properly funded ADF backed by a nation that produces its own medicine, refines its own fuel, secures its own borders, fertilises its own fields, cleans its own water and powers its own grid ensures that Australia remains a 'hard target'. National security is a holistic endeavour. It is the sum of our military prowess and our domestic endurance.

Senate adjourned at 19 : 59