Senate debates

Tuesday, 1 March 2016

Questions without Notice

Defence White Paper

2:18 pm

Photo of Christopher BackChristopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the—

Photo of Kim CarrKim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | | Hansard source

How's the enlightenment going?

Photo of Christopher BackChristopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator Carr may well be enlightened by this question. My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. Can the minister advise the Senate of the range of strategic challenges Australia will face over the next 20 years?

2:19 pm

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

I thank Senator Back for his question. Included in the white paper that the Prime Minister and I released last Thursday is a very comprehensive assessment of Australia's strategic environment over the next two decades—the matters to which Senator Back has referred. Whilst the white paper acknowledges that there is no more than a remote prospect of an attack on Australian territory by another country in the next 20 years, we will undeniably face a more complex and unpredictable strategic environment.

In the strategic review, six key drivers that will shape Australia's security environment were assessed by Defence and by the government. Firstly, there is the roles of the United States and China, and particularly the relationship between them—characterised most certainly by cooperation and, in some cases, differences of opinion. Secondly, there are challenges to the stability of the rules based global order, including efforts by some nations who are trying to promote their own interests outside what are regarded as established rules. Thirdly, and importantly, there is the enduring threat of terrorism to Australia's security. We see the spread of extremism and violence not just in capitals around the world; in fact, it has marked our own shores on occasion as well—and it is likely to be worsened as foreign terrorist fighters potentially return from their activities. Fourthly, there is state fragility, including within our immediate neighbourhood. Simultaneously, there is the sped-up pace of regional military modernisation delivering more capable regional military forces. Finally, we see more complex security threats, including cyberthreats to the security of our information and communications systems.

These six drivers will lead significantly to the shaping of Australia's security environment— (Time expired)

2:21 pm

Photo of Christopher BackChristopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I thank the minister for her comprehensive answer. Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister explain what steps the Turnbull government is taking to ensure Australia is well placed to meet the challenges she has outlined?

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

Over the next two decades, through the white paper, we will ensure that the Australian Defence Force is able to undergo the significant change it needs to manage the strategic challenges that confront our nation—and, at the same time, we will of course seize opportunities that are available to us. We have remediated what have been cumulative effects of prolonged underinvestment in a number of aspects of defence over many years. We have restored the very important proper alignment of defence strategy, defence capability and defence resourcing first of all, and we have underpinned that with a comprehensive force structure review and external cost assurance processes not produced before for a defence white paper.

As I have said, our plans for naval modernisation, in particular, are at the heart of our very significant investment in defence capabilities. In commencing a continuous build—particularly of surface ships—which will secure thousands of Australian jobs, we are taking a very important step for Australian industry. (Time expired)

2:22 pm

Photo of Christopher BackChristopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate how the Turnbull government has ensured its defence and security plan for Australia is both achievable and affordable?

2:23 pm

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

I thank Senator Back for his supplementary. I referred to the external cost assurance process through the integrated investment program that was released with the white paper last week. That was a very important initiative in terms of ensuring that we are able to achieve and afford the defence white paper and its capability acquisition plan. We will also—as I indicated both in my ministerial statement and earlier—meet the government's commitment to grow the defence budget to two per cent of GDP within the decade after our election. We are going to be able to provide defence and defence industry with the funding certainty that they need to deliver the long-term capability requirements that the ADF needs. That will include our high technology intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities that will give our forces much greater awareness, literally, of what is happening around them. We are also investing in Australia's Defence Force to ensure that it is operating effectively in the more challenging strategic environment I referred to earlier. (Time expired)