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

I rise today to put on record again the important contribution our Defence Force makes. I know, Madam Deputy Speaker Prentice, that this is something very dear to your heart as well. Yesterday we both welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement that we will increase the Australian Defence Force pay offer to two per cent per annum. The work performed by members of the Australian Defence Force is unique and crucial to our nation and our security. It is not only Defence Force personnel but their families—people like yourself, Madam Deputy Speaker—that face many challenges including frequent posting cycles and operational tours, to name a couple. I along with a number of my colleagues, such as the member for Herbert and indeed yourself, Madam Deputy Speaker, lobbied to get this result. I thank the Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence for listening to us and the electorate and committing to this pay increase. This news was well received by uniformed personnel in Solomon, and as soon as the announcement was made I started to receive calls from Defence members and families. I am sure Defence personnel will not ever forget that it was the previous Labor government that stripped the Defence Force budget to the bone.

I have some more good news from the Abbott government. Yesterday we announced the proposed development of an $18 million project to construct a Multi User Barge Ramp Facility in Darwin. Defence is one of the key economic drivers of the Northern Territory's economy and Darwin's Defence presence numbers over 6,000 service men and women. Together with their families, this represents nearly 14,000 people. An $18 million Multi User Barge Ramp Facility is a smart investment for Defence. The development of defence infrastructure across the Top End that also has a use for commercial operators is contributing to the development of the north. Chief Minister Adam Giles is working closely with the Abbott government and Defence to ensure the territory is key to the placement of future Australian Defence Force posture. The Australian Defence Force has contributed to jobs and infrastructure over many years and I expect, with the release of the defence white paper, that the Northern Territory will be reaffirmed as the key strategic position for the Australian Defence Force.

The Australian Defence Force has a long history in the territory. RAAF Base Darwin became operational in June 1940. In 1992 1st Brigade was relocated to Robertson Barracks. HMAS Coonawarra is home to about 60 per cent of Australia's patrol boat fleet. Together with Northern Command and Customs the Australian Defence Force plays a key role in our border protection. The United States Marines have had a small but growing presence in Darwin and their numbers are expected to grow to 2,500 by 2018. This year Exercise Talisman Sabre will occur across the top end of Australia from Darwin around to Rockhampton. Altogether nearly 15,000 service men and women from a number of countries will descend on training areas across the country.

Recently, the US Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Greenert, publicly stated that a joint US-Australian Defence Force study was being conducted to consider basing US naval ships in key locations around Australia, and Darwin to me is an obvious choice. Given our location, growing port and infrastructure and the significant growth in heavy engineering and maritime industry, Darwin is the logical location for the Australian Defence Force, particularly the Navy, to base itself in future years.

I am also looking forward to once again participating in the Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program This program, as you know, provides an intimate firsthand experience of the challenges of service life and deployment. As the new chair of the coalition backbench policy committee on defence and veteran's affairs, I take this appointment very seriously and will use it to continue to advocate for the thousands of Australian Defence Force members and their families, particularly in my electorate of Solomon. Madam Deputy Speaker Prentice, like you and the Member for Herbert, we are great supporters of the Australian Defence Force and, most importantly, the personnel and families of the Australian Defence Force in our electorates.

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