Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, I present the report of the committee on its delegation to the United Kingdom and Poland, which took place from 9 to 15 November 2025. I seek leave to move a motion to take note of the document.

Leave granted.

I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

This report is not simply a record of meetings and engagements. It is a clear reminder of the strategic environment Australia now faces and the importance of strengthening our alliances in an increasingly uncertain world. The delegation had three central objectives: to deepen bilateral relationships, to advance understanding of the Australia and United Kingdom nuclear powered submarine partnership under the Geelong treaty and to examine international cooperation in support of Ukraine.

What emerges from this report is a consistent and sobering message. Our partners in both the United Kingdom and Poland see the global security environment in much the same way we do. They recognise that Russia's war in Ukraine is not an isolated conflict. It is part of a broader contest that has implications far beyond Europe, including in our own region, the Indo-Pacific. That shared understanding matters because alliances are not built on words alone; they are built on common purpose, shared threat assessments and a willingness to act together.

In the United Kingdom, we observed Australian Defence Force personnel training Ukrainian forces in trench warfare and drone operations. This was not theoretical; it was practical cooperation in helping Ukraine defend its sovereignty. One moment in particular stands out. A Ukrainian officer spoke of the psychological toll of drone warfare—how even the sound of drones continues to affect veterans long after they have left the battlefield. It is a stark reminder that modern warfare is not only physical but also psychological, technological and relentless.

We also attended Remembrance Day services in London. They are important moments to reflect on the service and sacrifice of Australians across generations. The day reinforces a simple truth: the freedoms we enjoy today are underpinned by those who have served and those who continue to serve.

A central focus of this visit was cooperation under AUKUS and the Geelong Treaty. What we heard clearly was that success will depend not just on capability but on people. Workforce constraints, skills shortages and barriers to mobility were all identified as real challenges, particularly in long-term projects such as submarine construction. If we are serious about delivering AUKUS then we must be equally serious about building the workforce and industrial base to support it.

We also engaged with industry leaders through a bilateral economic roundtable, where the benefits of the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement were reinforced. At a time of global uncertainty, strong trade relationships with trusted partners are essential.

In Poland, we gained a direct and powerful insight into the reality of Russia's war on Ukraine. We heard from Polish and Ukrainian ministers about the scale of the challenge, both military and humanitarian. Poland is now spending close to five per cent of its GDP on defence; Ukraine, in the midst of conflict, is spending close to 40 per cent. These figures reflect the seriousness of the threat and the scale of the response that is required. We also heard about hybrid warfare, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns and threats to food and infrastructure capacity. These are not distant concepts. They are part of the modern strategic environment and are increasingly relevant to Australia.

Perhaps most striking was the resilience of the Ukrainian people themselves. At the ReBuild Ukraine conference in Warsaw, we witnessed a country determined to not just survive but rebuild, even in the midst of a conflict. Australia's contribution—over $1.3 billion in military and humanitarian assistance—has not gone unnoticed. It's not just solidarity. It's an investment in the rule-based international order, an order that underpins our own security and prosperity. There is also a deep historical connection. Australian and Polish forces stood together in Tobruk during the Second World War. Today, that partnership continues, grounded in shared values.

This report reinforces a clear message: Australia cannot afford to be passive in the face of growing global instability. We must strengthen our alliances, we must invest in our capabilities and we must remain steadfast in our support for those that defend our sovereignty and the sovereignty of other nations. In doing so, I commend this report to the Senate.

Question agreed to.