Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. Can the minister update the Senate on plans to expand the Shoalwater Bay Training Area and the Townsville Field Training Area?

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

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

Thank you, Minister. Senator Back, a supplementary question?

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Mr President. I thank the minister for her leadership in this space and I ask: can the minister advise the Senate—

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

She got rolled.

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

Order on my left. Senator Back, you have the call.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not leadership; it's called capitulation.

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

Senator Cameron.

A government senator: Shut up, Doug.

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask: can the minister advise the Senate how the training agreement with Singapore and the investment in the Shoalwater Bay and Townsville regions will benefit from the Australian Defence Force?

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

Thank you. I can indeed advise that the upgrading and the expansion of the Shoalwater Bay training area and the Townsville field training area will provide the Australian Defence Force with important access to modern facilities and will provide increased land and air space for what are very new, very contemporary weapons and equipment, including those outlined in the defence white paper of 2016.

The government, as set out in the white paper and in the integrated investment program, is modernising the systems and the platforms that are used by Army to ensure that our Australian soldiers have the best possible protection and, importantly, have the capability they need for future operations and for future activity and, importantly, that they are trained to do so.

Changes in technology and in war fighting techniques mean that our Army will operate over a much larger area than has been possible previously. Our new fleet of armoured fighting vehicles have sophisticated digital communications and very advanced weapons systems. They fire further; they are more powerful than existing vehicles— (Time expired)

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Finally, I ask: can the minister advise the Senate what economic benefits the military training agreement with Singapore will deliver to the communities of Rockhampton and Townsville?

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

Thank you very much. This is an important aspect of the comprehensive strategic partnership and clearly of no relevance for those opposite because they have no plan for Central Queensland, North Queensland or any other part of Queensland.

Up to $2.25 billion is to be spent over the next decade in the development of the training areas, and an estimated $50 million is to be spent annually for the 25 years of the agreement, which also specifies that priority will be given to local businesses in the Rockhampton and Townsville areas. That will be in addition to the significant investment which is currently made—every exercise, every training period—by the ADF and the Singapore armed forces. In fact I have heard countless anecdotes from local businesses about the value of those contributions.

The military training agreement will drive jobs and investment through the construction of infrastructure, through the purchase of local supplies, through equipment hire and the maintenance of vehicles and equipment. We also expect the significant increase in Singaporean troops to drive a boost in the local tourism sector— (Time expired)

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is also to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. I refer to the minister's previous answers and the statement today from the floundering member for Capricornia, Michelle Landry, welcoming the pledge by the Prime Minister that there will be no compulsory land acquisitions—

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

Order, Senator Watt. Senator O'Sullivan, a point of order?

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order: that is a reflection on our colleague in the House of Representatives, and it should be withdrawn.

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

Thank you, Senator O'Sullivan. I will let the question stand—order on my right and my left—and I do remind senators they must refer to members in the other place by their correct title and be respectful. Senator Watt.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer to the minister's previous answer and statements from the member for Capricornia welcoming the pledge by the Prime Minister that there will be no compulsory land acquisitions as part of the Shoalwater Bay expansion, something that Labor has campaigned very hard on over a period of time. I have some further questions, though, on matters the minister glossed over—

Government senators interjecting—

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

Order on my right.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When was the minister first advised that the Prime Minister had rolled her and made this pledge, and when was the minister made aware that Ms Landry would issue this public statement that overruled the minister's earlier statements?

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

Thank you very much. It has been a great pleasure to work with the very hardworking—in fact, I think she is described as 'the feisty federal MP for Capricornia'—Michelle Landry in this regard. I visited Rockhampton three, perhaps four, times in recent months as part of the engagement on the comprehensive strategic partnership and the military training initiative. That is in stark contrast to those opposite who have no interest in the potential for economic development that the CSP provides. It is in stark contrast to—

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

Order, Minister. Point of order, Senator Wong?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes. The point of order is relevance. There are two questions: when was the minister advised the Prime Minister had made this pledge, and when was she made aware that Ms Landry would issue the public statement?

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

Thank you, Senator Wong. Yes, you are correct; they were the two element of the question. But I think we need to be fair to the minister; she is only a quarter of the way into the answer. Minister, you have the call.

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

Thank you very much, Mr President. I can confirm for those opposite that I have enjoyed the opportunity, as I said at the beginning of my answer, to work very closely with the member for Capricornia and the member for Flynn on these issues and indeed with the Deputy Prime Minister and with the Prime Minister. This is an important announcement today, because it enables Defence to continue with the master planning process. The work that was done in consultation following my last visit to Rockhampton, which was two weeks ago as I said, and the Deputy Prime Minister's visit on Friday to meet with local representatives, which is also important feedback, and I had met with some of the same people—has resulted in today's announcement. It enables Defence to continue with the master planning process and it enables the development to be progressed as it should be.

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

Thank you, Minister. Senator Watts, a supplementary question?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. My supplementary question is also to the Minister for Defence. Why did the minister fail at any time prior to today to rule out compulsory land acquisitions?

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

I would advise senators to listen to questions and not to interject, so that the minister can hear the question. Senator Watt, would you repeat the question.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why did the minister fail at any time prior to today to rule out compulsory land acquisitions?

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

(—) (): Thank you very much. It is disappointing that those opposite have no concept of the planning process that needs to be undertaken in a significant agreement such as this. There has been an initial planning process, which started in November or so last year. There was extensive communication and consultation with members of the local community about that planning process. And I announced a fortnight ago that, given there were significant community concerns, I would curtail the length of the master planning process and ensure that it finished within a month. I also indicated that I would ensure that agricultural land was, as far as possible, used for agricultural purposes. What those opposite do not understand—and it is hardly surprising, given their experience—is that a plan of this significance, a strategic partnership of this significance, takes a very long time to plan and to organise. There are certain legislative requirements and there are certain environmental requirements—in fact, the list goes on. We have been observing all of those in making the announcement today. (Time expired)

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

Senator Watt, a final supplementary question.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the minister's failure to manage this issue explain why the Prime Minister put Minister Pyne in charge of the most important aspects of her portfolio?

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

Those opposite might not regard the comprehensive strategic partnership with Singapore as important, and that would be profoundly disappointing. It would mean they have no appreciation of national security and no appreciation of international relations, but it would not surprise me at all.