George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator McKenzie, for that very important question. As you know, Senator McKenzie, the Turnbull government is serious about making Australian more safe and secure. There is no higher priority than the protection of the nation. So last Monday the Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence announced that the government will purchase 1,100 locally built Hawkei protected vehicles and over 1,000 trailers to strengthen the defence forces' capabilities for a contract value of $1.3 billion.

The agreement with Thales Australia is in addition to providing the improved protected mobility vehicles for the ADF which will pioneer a next-generation communications management system. The government is investing in the skills and knowledge base of the defence industry to help secure Australia's future. Innovation and technology are among the factors that will be critical to Defence's sustained success. The Hawkei was chosen after a careful assessment of the ADF's needs, a competitive tender and a rigorous testing process. From 2019 the Hawkei will progressively replace the ageing Land Rover Perentie vehicle which has been the backbone of Army's land operations for many years. The agreement is good news for Australian technology and good news for Australian advanced manufacturing. This is a major enhancement of ADF capabilities and will help consolidate Australia's position as a world leader in military transport technology.