Dave Tollner (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am very honoured to speak on the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2007-2008 and cognate bills today. The federal budget brought down on 8 May provides many practical support measures for all Australians. It is a budget which again demonstrates the Howard government’s credentials as responsible economic managers. The budget has tax cuts for a fifth year in a row. These tax changes will ensure that 80 per cent of taxpayers will pay no more than the 30 per cent rate. We have created a budget surplus of $10.6 billion. We commit to funding greater childcare assistance, providing more investment in health and transport infrastructure, reducing taxes and costs for small business, giving an unprecedented boost to education funding and providing more money to raise teaching and education standards to deliver the workforce that Australia needs into the future. For the Northern Territory, the budget delivers more money for roads, transport, infrastructure, health and education.

Just as importantly, the 2007-08 budget builds on the Howard government’s commitment to strengthening Australia’s defence capabilities, and that is what I want to talk about in some detail today. The decision taken a decade ago to shift defence resources from the back room to the front line has increased the importance of the Northern Territory as a staging post in our strategic defence plan. The defence funding for my electorate of Solomon will total $318.5 million in 2007-08. The strong defence presence in Solomon includes HMAS Coonawarra, the Darwin Naval Base, Robertson Barracks, Larrakeyah Barracks and RAAF Base Darwin. The current defence capability plan outlines $51 billion of new acquisitions over 10 years. This year the commitment to defence will total $22 billion—an increase of 47 per cent in real terms since 1995-96. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute in its Defence budget brief 2007-08, says the defence budget has risen from $12.6 billion in 2000-01 to a projected $29.8 billion in 2016-17. Accounting for inflation, this amounts to a 58 per cent real rise over the next 16 years.

Much of this funding will benefit my electorate of Solomon. The Northern Territory has a proud tradition of being a home to Australia’s defence forces. The Territory has shown itself to be an essential part of Australia’s military strategy in the region. Northern Australia is the only part of mainland Australia to have been attacked repeatedly during a time of war. So Territorians have a unique perspective on the importance of a strong local military presence. We are also significant as a regional access point for Asia and a training location for exercises. The Northern Territory has also served as an essential staging post for Australia’s operations in South-East Asia in recent times. The Bali bombings in 2002 and the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004 saw Darwin as a focal point for emergency assistance, with troops deployed out of Darwin. The Howard government, through defence, will continue its strong support of the economy of Solomon based on a continuing significant military presence.

The current military population of the electorate includes over 5,600 ADF members, Defence civilians and ADF cadets. Defence families also form an integral part of the Solomon community. As I have mentioned, the government will continue to make an extensive financial contribution of around $318.5 million in 2007-08 to the funding of both defence facilities and personnel serving in Solomon. In addition, this year a further $3.5 million will be allocated for funding facilities. As part of the ongoing commitment to supporting and valuing our ADF personnel and their families, the following improvements will be made. There will be a modern and more flexible pay structure. There will be a new home loans assistance package, with higher subsidies and greater choice, to encourage homeownership and provide for benefits as members serve on for longer periods. A transition and career advice function will be created within Defence Force Recruiting to assist those who might be considering alternative careers. There will also be investment in the professional development of defence medical officers.

Further improvements include better marketing to showcase the Navy, Army and Air Force as employers of choice. A new Defence Apprenticeship scheme will be introduced to assist 16- and 17-year-olds commence an apprenticeship and then join the ADF. There will also be a boost to the Royal Australian Navy Sea Change program. Local cadets will benefit from an expansion and enhancement of the Defence Force Cadets scheme, giving our young people the life, leadership and employability skills valued by employers and community leaders.

Defence facilities in the Northern Territory will also benefit from $52.5 million in funding this year. Of this, a total of $14.6 million has been allocated to approved defence facilities projects. A further $37.9 million will be spent on Defence estate upkeep works. Estate upkeep works provide the ongoing maintenance of Defence’s extensive existing base infrastructure, including airfields, naval bases, barracks, training, cadet facilities and fuel farms. The rolling maintenance program is developed and revised each year, focusing on areas of the highest priority.

During 2007-08 Defence will spend approximately $37.9 million on estate upkeep in the Northern Territory. Examples of work to be undertaken in Solomon include termite-proofing of buildings at Robertson Barracks, OH&S repairs at Larrakeyah Barracks, repairs to vehicle-loading ramps in Darwin, the maintenance of fixed plant and equipment and the management of field areas, firing ranges and roads. The capital facilities investments in Solomon will also support the new Armidale class patrol boats and, in Lingiari, will provide an additional training area for 1st Brigade.

Darwin Naval Base patrol boat facilities will provide upgraded facilities at the Darwin Naval Base for the new Armidale class patrol boats. Construction commenced in early 2005 and is being completed in stages to allow the continued operation of the Naval base and to support the staged introduction into service of the Armidale class patrol boat. The schedule for completion is late 2007. Significant additional expenditure is expected to be announced during the year as further projects are considered for approval.

Bradshaw Field Training Area infrastructure at Timber Creek is a project which provides engineering services and infrastructure to allow the use of Bradshaw as a field training area for 1st Brigade. Works there include roads, training force maintenance areas, base camp, range control and caretaker facilities. This work is also scheduled for completion by late this year. Significant additional expenditure is expected to be announced during the year as further projects are considered for approval in Solomon. They include: RAAF Darwin redevelopment stage 2; Robertson Barracks redevelopment, including facilities for the LAND 907 and the Hardened and Networked Army projects; and control facilities and the Single Living Environment and Accommodation Precinct phase 2 proposals for Robertson Barracks and HMAS Coonawarra.

The Northern Territory has also received new funding for RAAF Tindal redevelopment stage 5, RAAF Tindal airborne early warning and control facilities, and facilities to support the introduction of the C17 heavy airlift capability. All the new funding that I have outlined will boost capital works and infrastructure and will provide state-of-the-art equipment for our armed forces. I am sure many Territory businesses will benefit from this work.

But the greatest resource that we have is our people, and I salute the service men and women of the Australian defence forces for their service and commitment and for their contribution to peace and freedom both in our region and throughout the world. Around 3,000 ADF personnel are deployed on operations overseas, from Iraq to the Solomon Islands, to protect Australia and its national interests. Darwin based soldiers currently involved in operations in the Middle East include 500 soldiers serving in the Overwatch Battle Group in Iraq and another 120 soldiers in the Force Level Logistics Asset in the Middle East. It was only recently that the final members of the 370-strong first reconstruction task force arrived home to Darwin after spending six months in the Oruzgan province in Afghanistan where they were conducting reconstruction projects. We owe a great debt to our men and women who have served overseas. Today I take this opportunity in our national parliament to honour them, both past and present, for their service and to let them know that it is remembered and appreciated.

The wonderful role that spouses and families play in supporting Defence personnel should also not be forgotten. Families provide a pivotal level of support for personnel who are serving overseas by giving them a base at home that they can look forward to on their return. I pay tribute to the spouses as well. Territorians love the fact that we have Defence personnel in Darwin. They have fully integrated into the community. In fact, the community would not be the same without them. They add to our laid-back and often unique lifestyle in the Northern Territory. It is a great honour to have them there, and I pay tribute to all those people connected with Defence in the Northern Territory.

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