Joanna Gash (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Defence. Would the minister update the House on recent steps that the government has taken to improve the Australian Defence Force air capability?

Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Gilmore for her question. It is a very important day for the people of Gilmore, as it is for Australians. This morning the Prime Minister announced on behalf of the government that the government will acquire 34 further multirole helicopters, the so-called MRH90 helicopters. These will add to the 12 that the government decided to purchase in August 2004. These 46 helicopters will replace the Black Hawk helicopters. They will also replace the Sea King helicopters. The first of them will arrive at HMAS Albatross in the electorate of Gilmore in 2010.

This is a well-developed helicopter at a cost, ultimately, of $2.7 billion for these 34 and $1½ billion for the earlier 12. More than $4 billion is being invested in seeing that the next generation of air capability in Australia delivers Australia with good air combat capability to support special services, to provide helicopter air lift, to support our activities currently being done by the Sea King in rescuing people at sea and other important things and to support the civilian community in Australia.

This package includes $1.2 billion in specific support to Australian industry in terms of composite construction, aerospace avionics, software development and engine production. The first two will come from France in December next year. The next three will come the following year, and the first of those will be off the Australian production line in Brisbane. There will be 350 Australian jobs supported directly by this decision. It is yet more evidence of the two things the government has been determined to do in defence: to provide very strong political will for the defence and security of Australia and to see that Australia runs a very strong economy so Australia is in a position to be able to afford to protect itself, its borders and its interests in the region and throughout the world.