Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I particularly thank Senator Macdonald, a fast and firm representative of North Queensland in this chamber, for his question because this does pertain significantly in defence terms to North Queensland.

It was in May this year that the Turnbull government announced that Australia and Singapore would jointly develop military training areas and facilities in Australia, enhancing Singapore's training opportunities. We agreed to grant Singapore enhanced access for unilateral land training from the current six weeks per year to 18 weeks and from the current number of 6,600 troops to 14,000 troops per annum, effectively trebling their access. It was a great pleasure for me to visit North Queensland after those announcements to meet with community and business leaders in the Rockhampton and Townsville areas to discuss the implementation of the CSP as it will progress over the coming years.

Ultimately, Singapore will invest about $2.25 billion in Australian training areas to upgrade these facilities. Approximately $1 billion is to be invested at Shoalwater Bay Training Area and similarly at the Townsville Field Training Area and its environs. Today, as Senator Macdonald said, we are very pleased to welcome Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to Canberra as well as a delegation of his senior ministers—the ministers for defence, the Minister for Trade and Industry and the Minister for Foreign Affairs. We were indeed fortunate to hear Prime Minister Lee's historic address to the parliament this morning—the first of a Singaporean leader. Tomorrow both prime ministers will witness the signing of the first tranche of the initiatives under the comprehensive strategic partnership—and I particularly look forward to signing the defence initiative—a partnership that will deliver practical benefits on trade, defence, innovation, education, law enforcement and cultural exchange.