Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ipswich, in my electorate of Blair, has a long history of embracing the military. In fact, as I was growing up, I always had friends in my classrooms who were the sons of those in the military. Home to the RAAF base at Amberley—an ever expanding superbase—Ipswich welcomes members of the military and their families into the community on a regular basis. The RAAF base is home to the F111s, affectionately called the ‘flying pigs’, interestingly enough. I am pleased to say that the Minister for Defence has assured me that, when the F111s retire in 2010, the FA18 Super Hornets will also be located in Ipswich at the RAAF base at Amberley. However, as a consequence of the expansion of the RAAF base at Amberley, sadly 208 Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets will have to relocate. The expansion of the RAAF base at Amberley means that the existing facility where the cadets train, meet and parade will be no more. This is a challenge and also an opportunity.

The Australian Naval Cadets and the Australian Army Cadets 127 ACU are both based in Ipswich at 29 Milford Street, which is the home of 41 Field Battery, a reserve unit. In 1860 the first volunteer military unit in Queensland was raised in Ipswich. It was called the Ipswich Troop of the Queensland Mounted Rifles. The second volunteer unit was founded in 1864. It was then absorbed into the AIF, and local railway workshop men and coalminers formed the bulk of the volunteers who went off to fight in the First World War. Part of the history of the Milford Street site is that cadets also used the facility—and they still do.

I have visited the site and spoken with the commanding officer of the naval cadets, James Young, and also the commanding officer of the Army cadets, Clive Redgate. I have spoken to military personnel and reservists of 41 Field Battery. There are 300 cadets across three service units in the City of Ipswich, training young people from 12½ years to 20 years of age. They have fun and adventure, but they also learn self-discipline, motivation, teamwork and mutual respect. The cadets are about fifty-fifty in terms of males and females. The site is home to the drill hall shed, which is recognised as a historical site. It was constructed by local builder George Humphrey Byers back in 1890. At the entrance to the site stands a 25-pound gun. The drill hall contains a history room with paraphernalia of the military involvement of Ipswich people who have been members of 41 Field Battery in every war in which Australia has been involved. Demountable units are there also but, unfortunately, they are asbestos ridden and have been recommended for demolition.

The location of the site is near Queens Park, Milford Street Kindergarten, the central state primary school and the Ipswich PCYC. It is suitable for a declaration by the Ipswich City Council as a youth precinct. The 29 Milford Street site is owned by the Australian defence service. I would argue that a tri-service cadet academy should be established by the Rudd government on the Milford Street site. That academy could contain leaders’ rooms, an outdoor and indoor training area, a parade ground, an accommodation block, an amenities block, an armoury, storage facilities, an office and reception area, a kitchen and dining area, storage facilities and a museum for the photos and paraphernalia of Australia’s military history.

I am pleased to see here Dr Mike Kelly, the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support. I have invited him to come to Ipswich and visit this site, and he has agreed to do so. Cadets in Ipswich receive enormous support from the RSL in Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley. The year 2010 marks 150 years of military history for Ipswich—and what a wonderful year that would be for the Rudd Labor government to announce a tri-service cadet academy in Ipswich.