Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute said: 'Next year, 2012-13, the defence budget will fall in real terms by 10.5 per cent, the largest year-on-year reduction since the end of the Korean conflict in 1953. As a result, defence spending, as a share of GDP, will fall to 1.56 per cent, the smallest figure recorded by Australia since the eve of World War II.'

We are talking about the questions I asked today. The first question asked was whether reports could be confirmed that the iconic rising sun badge that has been worn as part of the uniform of Australian soldiers since 1901 was going to be removed. I have it on good authority—and forget about what Senator Ursula Stephens just said; she is talking about a different issue—that the rising sun badge will no longer be allocated as part of the Australian uniform. As a result of the question today, Senator Carr assured me that that is wrong and he assured me that the badge will continue to be given. I will hold him to account. If by asking that question, I have that assurance then I and every member of the Army will be delighted.

My second question asked whether it was true that reservist training would be cut from 100 to 21 days per reservist member. Senator Carr did not directly answer it, but I take it from his demeanour and from his non-answer that he disagrees with that. Again, I am assured by Senator Carr that the cutting of Army reserve training days to 21 is not true and that every reservist in Australia will be able to get at least 100 training days per financial year. Again, I have it in writing that that is not true, but Senator Carr has said I am wrong and that the 100 remains. I will be following Senator Carr with a microscope to see what happens with that.

My third question was about 51 Far North Queensland Regiment, one-third of whose soldiers are Indigenous people and whose role is to be the eyes and ears of Australia, and to interact with Indigenous communities, up on our remote borders. I understand from information given to me that training days are to be cut by 75 per cent. I accept absolutely the information that has come to me. Senator Carr is saying that is not correct. I know Senator Carr is not right and I am sure that, having made that assurance here in the parliamentary chamber, he is back on the phone as I speak, ringing the generals and saying, 'General, I don't care where else you cut defence spending but make sure it's not to 51 Far North Queensland Regiment, make sure it's not about the rising sun badge and make sure it's not about reducing reserve force training days.'

I know and have on firsthand authority from any number of reservists who contact me in my office in Townsville, the garrison city of Australia, that in recent weeks there has been no ammunition, live or blank. The troops have been going around pointing their weapons and saying, 'Bang, bang, you're dead!' because there is no other way they can indicate that their training is being effected. So let the Labor Party and Senator Ursula Stephens try to misrepresent the situation, but these are real cuts to our reserve training and to our reservists. I have put on the record that I am delighted with Senator Carr's off-the-cuff answers, which he knew nothing about but said them in the chamber, and I am going to hold him to them. And isn't every reservist and every Army member around Australia delighted! (Time expired)