Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence. Can the minister update the Senate on what support Defence has provided to international partners across the Indo-Pacific during COVID-19?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Abetz for that question. I also thank him for his enduring support of our men and women in uniform and for Defence. Building a stronger Australia post pandemic rests on a secure and stable Indo-Pacific. That is why defence is supporting not only our own national recovery from COVID-19 but also the recovery of our regional friends and partners.

We have already reoriented funding through the government's defence cooperation programs to assist our regional partners deal with COVID-19. This is in addition to the significant support that the ADF has provided on Operation COVID-19 Assist. Over 10,000 ADF members have been contributing to state and territory responses since the beginning of this year. In the South Pacific our support has focused on very targeted country specific priorities. This includes planning, health, logistics, vehicle and asset maintenance and the delivery of personal protective equipment and also supplies.

In South-East Asia, Australia has supported regional defence forces to respond to the pandemic. One example is a $2 million package of personal protective equipment to Indonesia's armed forces to support and assist in their ability to deal with their own nation's COVID-19 response. A second example is a total of $3 million of assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to enable their ongoing support of infectious disease wards across the country and of their own armed forces personnel. In the Indian Ocean region we've provided personal protective equipment for the defence forces of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Defence stands firmly with its regional partners during these most challenging of times for us all.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz, a supplementary question?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for that answer and ask the following: can the minister update the Senate on the continuation of Defence regional operations and activities during COVID-19?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, thank you very much, Senator Abetz, for the question. Throughout COVID-19 one of the proudest things our nation has seen is that the ADF have not missed a beat. Yes, we've had to adapt work practices but we have not missed a beat throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time Australia has continued to strengthen its military-to-military engagement with its partners—partners who share our vision for a stable, prosperous and rules based Indo-Pacific. This is despite the many challenges facing us all with COVID-19. For example, our regional presence deployment, which ran from July to September, was the largest-ever ADF deployment to the Indo-Pacific. We exercised with 11 nations in total. The Navy has conducted seven separate maritime activities with Japan alone this year. Australia participated in the Malabar maritime exercise last month with close partners India, Japan and the United States, and those exercises continue.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Keneally—sorry; Senator Abetz, a final supplementary question?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister update the Senate on how Defence is maintaining close engagement with Australia's Pacific family during COVID-19?

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz—sorry; I'm having a bad run today! Senator Reynolds.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can answer my own question, if you like!

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm sure Senator Abetz is very capable of answering his own questions! In all seriousness, Defence is continuing to support our Pacific family to address the health and economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Work continues apace with Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu on significant defence infrastructure projects in those nations that will enhance security and also provide much-needed economic stimulus and local employment opportunities in those nations. Those projects in those three countries alone are expected to create over 350 jobs in Papua New Guinea, 555 jobs in Fiji and 178 jobs in Vanuatu, with many more to come. Defence continues to deliver new Guardian class patrol boats throughout COVID-19, with eight to date to regional partners under the Pacific Maritime Security Program. In fact, Tonga received its second Guardian class patrol boat during a COVID-safe handover at Henderson in October. This program fundamentally supports regional sovereignty— (Time expired)