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

I thank Senator Back for his question. I can confirm today that Defence will only be purchasing land from willing sellers in the vicinity of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area and the Townsville Field Training Area in support of the military training agreement with Singapore. I have received initial advice from Defence on its master planning and have heard the concerns of local landowners, which have been expressed to me directly, and have been able to remove the question of forced sales from the master planning process.

Defence will continue to talk to landowners around the two training areas who are interested in selling as willing vendors, and officials will continue to engage with local communities while that master planning process and the socioeconomic impact study are finalised. Following my third visit to Rockhampton a fortnight ago and subsequent discussions, those significant concerns of the community were of course raised with me, and today's decision will go a significant distance to address those concerns. Any land that is purchased by willing sellers will, of course, be owned by the Australian government, and the Australian Defence Force will maintain its priority use and access. Those who are peddling misinformation about this might want to note that. Under the military training agreement there will be significant benefits to both the Rockhampton and Townsville regions as well as, importantly, to the Australian Defence Force.

Today's announcement does not affect the implementation of the agreement to increase the training of Singapore forces in these two regions. Community and stakeholder consultation will continue to be a part of Defence's approach to this work as the master planning process continues and as properties come onto the market and as willing vendors make contact with and negotiate with Defence.