Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As vice-chair of the Australia-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group, I've been working to identify areas where Australia can better assist Ukraine in the face of the humanitarian disaster caused by Russia's war of aggression. The resulting humanitarian crisis requires international collaboration and billions of dollars, over many decades to come, to repair the war damage that Russia has inflicted. However, it is also very clear that, on a bipartisan basis, we need to develop a more effective and coherent way of facilitating materiel, humanitarian and, eventually, development aid. By lending our expertise and assistance in so many areas, Australia can play a much greater role in alleviating the suffering of millions of Ukrainians and contribute to a brighter future for them. But we do need a better plan to do that.

This is where I believe it is now time for Australia to introduce a Ukraine democracy defence lend-lease act such as that introduced by the US last year. In November 2019, in a keynote address to the Hudson Institute in Washington, DC, I discussed the little-remembered US Lend-Lease Act of 1941. I did so as I believe that, back then, it provided a useful framework and a successful precedent for new ways of considering how we more agilely and effectively connect our shared economic and security interests. This short but highly farsighted act, introduced by President Roosevelt, enabled him—as, then, still the president of a neutral country—to lend or lease war supplies, and also, eventually, humanitarian assistance, to other allies to promote the defence of the US. Australia was a significant beneficiary in our war effort, but it did result in what's called reverse lend-lease for all nations. It is time to— (Time expired)