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

Minister, Solomon has one of the highest Defence populations of any electorate in Australia, as you are very well aware. With four bases within Solomon—the Defence Establishment Berrimah, RAAF Base Darwin, Larrakeyah Barracks, which include HMAS Coonawarra, Robertson Barracks—and 5,000 or so uniformed Defence personnel in the Darwin and Palmerston area, there is a high level of interest in Defence policy in my electorate. It has not escaped the notice of these personnel that the previous Labor-Greens government, under three prime ministerships, cut Defence spending as a proportion of GDP to its lowest level since before World War II.

Minister, the mood is very different now. My constituents both within the Defence community and within the business sector are very happy with the ongoing Defence infrastructure investments in Solomon and, indeed, the Northern Territory. The $18 million in Defence infrastructure projects for the Northern Territory unveiled in the budget, including projects at RAAF Base Tindal, Shoal Bay, RAAF Base Darwin and Robertson Barracks, have been very welcomed by ADF personnel and by the business community in Solomon, which will have the opportunity to participate in the supply and construction of these projects.

Another project which is generating a lot of interest from a Defence perspective is the proposal to create an $18 million joint logistics facility at East Arm Wharf to accommodate the Royal Australian Navy amphibious vessels and the new Canberra class landing helicopter dock ships. I note today there was an expedience motion that was put to the House. We are very pleased about that. It has also been noted within the community that the facility will benefit both Defence and industrial barge operators, to whom the facility will also be available.

Recently, the Northern Territory branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement that Australian servicemen killed in the Vietnam War would be repatriated to Australia should the families wish to do so. Minister, as you are aware, it was a Territorian, Mr Bob Shewring, who was one of the driving forces behind this policy, and he was very pleased with the announcement that the Abbott government made.

The other local link with the Northern Territory was a courageous soldier by the name of Corporal Reg Hillier. Corporal Hillier was working as a jackaroo in the Northern Territory and enlisted to serve his country in 1961. His life working in the outback set him up well for Army life and he excelled in this role. He deployed to Vietnam with the First Battalion and was commended for his outstanding leadership and courage. Corporal Hillier—or Reg, as he is affectionately known in the Territory—punched above his weight in combat. His tracking skills were used to follow and attack small enemy units, and his courage in going into Viet Cong tunnels led to the capture of valuable intelligence. Unfortunately, Reg was killed in action at Vo Dat on 29 November 1965. His family could not afford to have him repatriated to Australia so he was laid to rest in Terendak cemetery. Now, thanks to the recent policy change announced by the Abbott government, Corporal Hillier's remains will be returned home and he will be finally laid to rest in the Northern Territory.

The announcement that ADF pay was being locked in for above-inflation pay increases for the next four years has also been welcomed by my community. Minister, could you update the House on the Abbott government's initiative to repatriate Australian servicemen killed overseas and the ongoing commitment to the welfare of Australian serving defence personnel? Could you also provide an update on the defence infrastructure in Solomon and the Northern Territory?

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