Andrew Leigh (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence Materiel. How is the government working with the defence industry to deliver better equipment and enhanced support for our troops?

Mike Kelly (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Materiel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Fraser for his question and his interest in this important subject. This government has a plan for the future of this country in terms of its security and a plan for our economy and manufacturing. One prime example of that, of course, is the investment that we have made in force protection measures for our troops in Afghanistan. That included unmanned aerial surveillance systems. We have also invested in mine-clearing equipment, new lightweight combat body armour, new combat uniforms and longer-range machine guns. We have upgraded the Bushmaster vehicles so that they are now safer and, of course, the investment we have put into the counter-rocket-and-mortar-fire alert systems that are protecting our personnel in Tarin Kot. We have done this in cooperation with the Australian defence industry, which has the confidence of this government in its capacity and in its capability to deliver the equipment needs of our Defence Force.

As an indication of our confidence, we have invested $445.7 million in programs specifically to assist the Australian defence industry to upskill. We are also interested in supporting their innovative abilities and assisting them to become more competitive internationally.

One of the programs I am talking about is the Global Supply Chain. With that chain we have seen Australian companies win 195 contracts worth about half a billion dollars through that program, 90 per cent of the value going to small and medium enterprises. Australian SMEs are proving they can match it on the world stage, and we are confident in them. This will be important as we move forward to the future submarine program, which will be a major national program for this country in terms of the skills that it will develop and the flow-over benefit to Australian industry and, of course, the capacity of our shipbuilding industry. Of course, this has been done in close collaboration with industry. It is important that we have their input into the innovative and skills capacities that we will need in the future, and they have been a sound partner with us in this endeavour.

I can confirm to the House that the commitment of this government to our defence industry, to our national security and to the men and women of our Australian Defence Force is ironclad.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.