Mark Bishop (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Industry, Procurement and Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Ian Campbell, representing the Minister for Defence in this place. While the government has reconfirmed its intent to purchase the Joint Strike Fighter, it is yet to explain how it will fill the capability gap between the retirement of the F111 from 2010 and the likely delivery of the JSFs in 2015 or beyond. Didn’t the Minister for Defence admit this earlier this month when he stated that ‘the government is looking at cost-effective options’ to ensure that we maintained air superiority in the region through that gap? Given the retirement of the F111s is just three years away, when will the government announce the options and costs being considered and when will it actually make a decision on this critical issue? Why is the government so keen to commit $16 billion to purchase the JSF, yet so reluctant to explain how it will ensure Australia maintains its regional air superiority before it arrives?