Alan Eggleston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Johnston. Can the minister outline to the Senate how the government has met its election commitment to fix the Defence budget? In particular, has the government honoured its commitment to make no more cuts to Defence?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Eggleston not just for the question but also for his contribution to 18 years of the public policy debate in this country. The Abbott government has already met a number of commitments made in our policy for stronger Defence announced in the 2013 election campaign. We are building on our commitment to Australians that we would build a strong and capable Defence Force. The first Abbott government budget set about triaging the haemorrhage of Defence funding caused by Labor, through our commitment to ensure, firstly, no further cuts to Defence spending.

We are doing the hard methodical costing and funding work that Labor never did, to complete the recovery with our commitment to boost spending to two per cent of GDP within a decade. This has been welcomed by our allies. During the Prime Minister's recent visit to the United States, President Obama himself noted:

I should note that Australia, under the Prime Minister’s leadership, is increasing its defence budget, even under tough times, recognising that we all have to make sure that we’re doing our fair share to help maintain global order and security.

This is in stark contrast to what our allies said about Labor's reckless cuts to the Defence budget to the tune of $16 billion. Former Deputy Secretary of State under the Bush administration, Richard Armitage, commented in 2013 that Labor was free-riding off US taxpayers and did not want to pull its fair share of weight when it comes to Defence spending. Senior US senator and former presidential candidate, John McCain, also noted at the time that it was not prudent for Canberra to cut its Defence budget so heavily. The constant and repeated cuts and deferrals under the shameful last six years has left Defence reeling and our allies concerned. (Time expired)

Alan Eggleston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate whether the government has delivered on other election commitments in the Defence portfolio?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to confirm we have announced a number of important Defence commitments over the last nine months. The coalition will ensure that Australia has the military capability to deter threats and to project force into our neighbourhood. We would never—as Labor has—unfairly and irresponsibly gamble with the security of future Australians by underfunding Defence investment over the long term.

The Abbott government has announced decisions relating to acquiring 58 fabulous joint strike fighters, acquiring the Triton broad area maritime unmanned surveillance aerial vehicle, acquiring P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, bringing forward preliminary engineering and design work necessary to keep open the option of building the Future Frigate in Australia, bringing forward the Pacific Patrol Boat program, restarting the ADF Gap Year program, indexing military superannuation and providing free basic health care to all ADF family members. We are getting on with the job of fixing this portfolio. (Time expired)

Alan Eggleston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Where are the subs?

Alan Eggleston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Supplementary. Can the minister say how the government's approach to the Defence portfolio compares to other approaches?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In 2009, the previous government published a Defence white paper which outlined the way forward for Defence out to 2030. Labor then immediately began to backpedal on all of the commitments it contained and cut, as I say, $16 billion over the next four years. Labor's Defence white paper of 2009 had a shorter shelf life than a loaf of bread. Under Labor the share of GDP spent on Defence fell to 1.56 per cent.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For a hundred bucks you won't give us a white paper.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Johnston is entitled to be heard in silence.

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Under the Labor government the share of GDP spent on Defence fell to 1.56 per cent, the lowest level since 1938. In 2012-13, Labor cut 10.5 per cent from the budget—the largest single cut Defence has endured since the Korean conflict. On Labor's watch the Australian Defence Industries shed more than 10 per cent of its workforce. Of course, we heard nothing from South Australian senators. Labor's careless disregard for Defence funding saw 119 projects delayed, 43 reduced and eight cancelled altogether. This is the level of mess that we inherited—no plans for Pacific patrol boats, frigates or submarines. (Time expired)

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.