Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 4 April 2011:

(1) With reference to Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011, including the costs of the exercise and the Public Environment Report (PER):

(a) what is the total cost to the department of the Talisman Sabre exercises;

(b) what proportion of this cost will Australia be paying;

(c) what was the cost to the department of the preparation of the PER by AECOM;

(d) given that the public submission period closed in December 2010:

(i) how many submissions were received; and

(ii) how was participation advertised.

(e) is the department aware of a local campaign to get Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011 cancelled in order to use the money for the Queensland recovery;

(f) will the Talisman Sabre games take place anywhere in Western Australia; and

(g) following Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011, will any submarines from the United States of America (US) be landing in Fremantle to engage in 'border protection' or 'piracy' work.

(2) With reference to the details of the exercise, including what and who is involved:

(a) when will Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011 be occurring;

(b) what are the dates for the live firing parts of the exercise;

(c) in which parts of Australia will the war games be taking place;

(d) how many Australian troops will be taking part in the war games, listed separately:

(i) Army;

(ii) Navy; and

(iii) Air Force.

(e) how many troops from the US will be taking part in the war games, listed separately:

(i) Army;

(ii) Navy; and

(iii) Air Force.

(f) will the Australian Federal Police participate in the exercise;

(g) will the Defence Signals Directorate, the Australian Secret Intelligence Services, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, or any other Australian intelligence agencies, participate in the exercise;

(h) will US intelligence agencies participate in the exercise;

(i) will military or other personnel from countries other than Australia be observing Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011; if so, for what purpose;

(j) is there any way of knowing what class of nuclear submarines will be used; and

(k) will unmanned aerial vehicles be used throughout the exercise.

(3) With reference to the stakeholders:

(a) who is identified as a stakeholder for the purpose of consultation in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011;

(b) how will consultation with the traditional owners of the land and seas used in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011 take place;

(c) who is consulted about the use of:

(i) the Coral and Arafura Seas;

(ii) the Bradshaw and Delamere Range sites in the Northern Territory;

(iii) Brisbane Port;

(iv) Shoalwater Bay;

(v) Cowley Beach; and

(vi) any other areas of operation.

(d) do traditional owners have any right to dissent to actions involved in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011;

(e) what is the contingency plan for the event that protesters trespass onto a military area during the live phase of the exercise;

(f) given that, in past Talisman Sabre exercises, certain media has been invited to special events, including press conferences in Brisbane and elsewhere, ship visits and trips into the military zone at Shoalwater Bay, while independent media, such as community radio stations and freelance filmmakers and journalists have not been included in these invitations:

(i) what process is entailed in determining which media personnel are invited, and

(ii) will community radio and other independent media-makers be invited to media events for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011; and

(g) can the department confirm that there is a mosque in the Urban Warfare Training Facility in the Shoalwater Bay Training Facility; if so, is its purpose to assist in practice military operations against mosques.

(4) Given that the Exercise Talisman Saber 2009 Environment Post Exercise Report, dated January 2010, suggests that there were no significant environmental incidents in regard to whale surveys, some ground surface damage management, and back burning or fire management issues, yet includes no information about the impacts of live firing, mine countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare:

(a) what were the impacts of live firing, mine counter measures and anti submarine warfare;

(b) what measures will be taken to measure and minimise harmful contamination to the water in Shoalwater Bay; and

(c) what actions were taken by the military between 2007 and 2009 to lessen the potential impacts of military exercises on migrating whales, in particular, and other flora and fauna.

(5) Will depleted uranium weapons be used during the joint military exercise; if so:

(a) where will they be used;

(b) how many will be used;

(c) are the surrounding communities aware that depleted uranium weapons will be used; and

(d) has the Government completed any analysis on the human health effects of exposure to depleted uranium weapons.