Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Campbell, the Minister representing the Minister for Defence. Can the minister confirm that Defence personnel have been asked to volunteer for extra duties at overtime rates in order to escort cleaners while they do their job? Hasn’t this request been necessary because the new Defence cleaning contractor, Serco Sodexho, isn’t able to attract or retain enough qualified and security-cleared cleaners to clean Defence facilities around the nation? I ask the minister: is this problem a direct result of government pressure that the contractor employ its staff on Australian workplace agreements? Why has the government allowed its ideological obsession to lead to the ridiculous situation where Australian Defence Force personnel are being required, at great expense, to supervise cleaners?

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A question about the arrangements within the Defence portfolio is always an important one. What this government has sought to do over the past few years is to deal with the ludicrous situation that applied when Labor was in charge—for example, when Mr Beazley was defence minister you had a situation where only around 42 per cent of Australian troops were combat ready. One of the clear philosophies that the Howard government have sought to put in place is to ensure that we move troops to being combat ready—to have a defence force which is far more focused on doing its job. We have increased the combat ready personnel to 62 per cent. It is incredibly important that we continue to focus on that.

In relation to the specific issue of maintenance contracts, and ACT defence garrison support, the Serco Sodexho contractor referred to by Senator Lundy has been selected as the best value for money provider for the ACT and southern New South Wales region, with a contract potentially worth around $300 million over nine years. In line with the Howard government’s philosophy of ensuring that we see the money hit the ground to ensure that our defence troops are in fact combat ready and deliver the crucial defence role, what we are trying to ensure with this contract—and we know that Senator Lundy would prefer to have those cleaning services performed by members of her union; we know that she would prefer to have her union comrades in those jobs—is that we get good value for money and that we get the services provided. We are confident that that can be achieved.

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question, and I note in asking it that the minister did not answer my original question. I now ask the minister: will Serco Sodexho now be liable for the cost of the overtime that Defence has to pay its personnel so that they can act as escorts to cleaners at Defence facilities? Or will Defence itself simply pick up the tab, meaning that taxpayers will have to fork out to pay for the government’s ideological position on AWAs?

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unfortunately for Senator Lundy and her recruitment campaign for the union, the reality is that under this contract 80 per cent of the staff will actually receive better pay and conditions than they would have under previous arrangements. Our ideological commitment is to make sure Australia is well defended. Our ideological commitment is to make sure that Australia has a strong Defence Force. That is why we have increased defence spending. We have increased the size of the force. We have made it more effective. We have armed it better. We have made it more combat ready. You only need to compare our record on defence with the Labor Party’s, and I know who the Australian people will continue to support if they care about the defence of Australia.

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order. My point of order is one of relevance. I specifically asked about the liability of the costs for overtime, and I would like the minister to answer.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I believe the minister had finished answering the question. I believe he was asked about contracts, and I believe that seemed to be the only information he had. Nevertheless, I call Senator Adams.