Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today, I rise to voice my disgust at Labor's 2012-13 federal budget cuts of $5.5 billion from Defence over the forward estimates. Despite Labor's rhetoric, these cuts will have a long-term impact on our nation's defence capabilities. Next year's Defence budget has decreased in real terms by 10.5 per cent, which is the largest year-on-year reduction since the end of the Korean War. As a percentage of GDP, defence funding will be 1.56 per cent—the lowest since 1938. Defence personnel are having their conditions trashed, with the announcement that Labor has cancelled recreational leave travel for single members over the age of 21. This will affect around 22,000 ADF personnel, many of whom are based in my electorate of Solomon. When they joined Defence, these members were told that, if they were posted interstate, they would be able to go home a couple of times a year as part of their employment conditions. Now this employment condition has been breached. Mr Paul Potter, a constituent of mine whose son is now posted in Canberra, told my office that he was outraged that Australia's defence personnel were having their employment conditions slashed without any consultation whatsoever. He also said his son is keen to come home to Darwin and see his family but now he will not be able to afford to do so. Paul said he does not want these budget cuts to result in other families having breakdowns and falling apart. Surely we should not be discouraging any family reunions. The Minister for Defence and the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel should be ashamed of themselves.

In terms of budget cuts there is no doubt that my electorate will be impacted by the Defence funding cuts. Based on public information and letters from the chiefs of defence, in conjunction with industry analysis, we have determined where cuts and projects will be impacted in my electorate. At the RAAF Base Darwin, the first 12 JSF aircraft, AIR 6,000 phase 2A and phase 2B, have been delayed by two years and phase 2C has been delayed by one year. At Robinson Barracks 15 of the M1A1 Abrams tanks and 100 of the M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers are going to be mothballed. Also at Robinson Barracks the Tiger helicopters are having their flying hours reduced. To add to this, the Robinson Barracks redevelopment has been delayed by three years and the Larrakeyah Base redevelopment NORFORCE redeployment has been delayed by two years.

This Labor government does not understand the detrimental impacts of its decisions on electorates like mine. Only the coalition offers hope, reward and opportunity. We are committed to rebuilding defence and we will not treat our service men and women with the contempt— (Time expired)

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