Angie Bell (Moncrieff, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence. Will the minister please update the House on how the Morrison-McCormack government is protecting Australia's interests by investing in defence and working with regional partners to build a more prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question and for her abiding support for the Australian Defence Force. We're all very proud of the work the Australian Defence Force does. We've seen over the course of the last two decades its involvement in Afghanistan and campaigns in the Middle East, which have directly resulted in a reduction in the number of terrorist attacks that otherwise would have taken place in our country and in other parts of the world.

Now, as we pivot to our region, to the Indo-Pacific, it is incredibly important that we continue to deepen relations with our near neighbours and with others who have an interest in continuing peace in our region. We have invested $270 billion by way of capacity building and capability building within the Australian Defence Force over this decade, so a significant investment into the equipment that will be deployed by the men and women of the Australian Defence Force in our region. It's incredibly important, because we need to stand up for our sovereignty. We need to make sure that we defend our values. We need to make sure that we don't back away from—

Opposition Member:

An opposition member interjecting—

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's an interesting interjection from the other side, talking about our values. You're questioning our values as a country in relation to our region? Our values relate to freedom of speech, to democracy. Our values relate to the way we're investing in our Defence Force. If you're against all that—

Honourable members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members will cease interjecting.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian Defence Force has stood up for those values over generations. To have them belittled by those opposite, a Labor Party who ripped out $18 billion from the Defence Force—

Honourable members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll call the Leader of the Opposition. Then I'll have something to say.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that the minister withdraw. No-one in this parliament, I would hope, has ever been elected, since 1901, who didn't support the men and women of our Australian Defence Force—no-one. The interjections were about a minister who had just moved that people be no longer heard speaking about freedom of speech.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have to say that, with the level of interjections, I didn't hear every word that the minister said, but I was about to intervene on the basis that the question was about the government's policy, and there was no opportunity in that to reflect on the opposition in any way, shape or form. Did the minister make an unparliamentary remark?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I did not, but I'm happy to withdraw for the benefit of the House. But it was not unparliamentary. I make that very clear. We stand up for the values of this country and we stand up for the values of the countries in our region. That's the point we're making. And the Australian Defence Force has fought for the values of this country over a long period of time. This side of the House, over many generations, over decades in this country, in contrast to others, have invested into the Defence Force. We have made sure that we have backed our defence forces. That will continue into the future.

Honourable members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has concluded. Members on my left, I am wanting to hear from the Leader of the Opposition, and I need to be able to do that without them continuing the argument of the minister's answer.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the proud leader of the party of John Curtin: we stand with the men and women of our Australian Defence Force.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. The Minister for Defence has concluded his answer.