Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. I ask the minister to update the Senate on the Australia-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement reached between Australia and Singapore that was so widely and warmly mentioned by both His Excellency the Prime Minister of Singapore and by the Australian Prime Minister at this morning's historic address by the Singaporean Prime Minister.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to 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.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald, a supplementary question.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for that answer. I am interested in the defence element of the partnership. Could the minister could give the Senate some more details of the strategic and economic benefits of the comprehensive strategic partnership as it relates to defence?

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

I thank Senator Macdonald for his supplementary question. As we outlined in the 2016 Defence white paper, the Turnbull government is very focused on increasing Australia's international defence engagement to further develop our international partnerships, including with our allies and partners. The CSP will particularly enhance our defence engagement through five areas: enhanced training area access and joint development of facilities; military and civilian exchange postings; new training initiatives and greater collaboration; greater intelligence sharing; and expanding our science and technology cooperation. And we heard today that Prime Minister Lee is particularly interested in this area. This will enable greater interoperability between our defence forces as well as enhancing regional stability and security. It will also deliver significant economic opportunities for the Townsville and Rockhampton regions. As Singapore's training presence increases, the demand for support services and opportunities for local businesses will also expand. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald, a final supplementary question.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, I thank the minister for that news, which is very exciting for Townsville and Rockhampton. Minister, how else is the government strengthening its bilateral defence relationships in Singapore?

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

We have very strong bilateral relationships with Singapore already, and we are going to continue to progress that very long history. They are our most involved defence partner in South-East Asia. This is reflected in multiple defence dialogues, as well as bilateral exercises. These include Navy Exercise Singaroo, Army exercises Matilda and Dragonball, Air Force Exercise Churinga and joint Exercise Trident. We also participate in some extremely important and constructive multilateral exercises—particularly Exercise Pitch Black and currently, under the Five Power Defence Arrangements, exercises such as BERSAMA LIMA, which is literally underway as we speak—as well as our personnel exchange programs, education and training, and cooperative efforts in science and technology, capability and intelligence. We will continue to strongly support current Singaporean unilateral training in Australia as we progress to the arrangements under the CSP. In fact, Singapore's major annual unilateral training activity, Exercise Wallaby, is underway at Shoalwater Bay as we speak. (Time expired)