Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Reynolds. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Australian government is promoting stability and security by strengthening the Defence Force presence in northern Australia?

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

I thank Senator Scarr for his question. The Morrison government is very proud to be committed to building an ADF capable of meeting Australia's security needs, and northern Australia is vital to our nation's security. The substantial investment by the Morrison government in northern Australia will enable Defence to do a number of things—first of all, increase awareness of our northern approaches; strengthen regional partnerships; and support defence activities and, in particular, training exercises. We are investing over $10 billion in the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland—$10 billion in the Northern Territory, $2.25 billion in Queensland and $420 million in Western Australia.

We are committed to enhancing defence capability and presence through the United States Force Posture Initiatives by investing around $2 billion in infrastructure and support services in the Northern Territory alone. I'm very pleased to advise those opposite, including Senator Sterle, that these are now well underway. These initiatives provide significant security benefits for Australia, including deepening interoperability between the ADF and the US Marine Corps, increasing regional engagement and positioning us to respond to crises in the region, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The $2.25 billion investment for the Australia-Singapore Military Training Initiative will provide significant local economic opportunities in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Central and northern Queensland. These are all important in our changing strategic circumstances and are also important for northern Australia.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Scarr, a supplementary question?

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister outline to the Senate what the government is doing to deliver economic certainty and enhanced Australian Defence Force capability in northern Australia through the United States Force Posture Initiatives and the Australia-Singapore Military Training Initiative?

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

Again, thank you, Senator Scarr. To support both the $2 billion US Force Posture Initiatives and the $2.52 billion joint development of training areas with Singapore, this government is ensuring that it has the policies in place to maximise local industry involvement in all of these initiatives. Through our local industry capability initiative, contractors are required to proactively identify the capacity of local industry in the regions surrounding all of these projects. For example, Laing O'Rourke are delivering training facilities in Shoalwater Bay, and they are engaging 80 per cent of their subcontractors from the surrounding Livingstone and Rockhampton regions. Northern Territory based Sitzler were recently awarded a significant contract to support the US Force Posture Initiatives, and they have committed to engaging 98 per cent of their contractors from the Northern Territory.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Scarr, a final supplementary question?

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise how these initiatives enhance regional stability and benefit Australian Defence Force capability?

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

Northern Australia is a critical part of our nation's defence posture across Australia and regionally. Strengthening the ADF's relationships with key regional allies and partners is critical to ensuring that we can train, exercise and deploy on operations seamlessly, together with our allies. These initiatives strengthen the ADF's interoperability with two of Australia's most trusted and capable security partners, the United States and Singapore. Through the US Force Posture Initiatives and Exercise Talisman Sabre, the ADF is working with our ally the United States and with Japan and others to increase interoperability and maximise our regional engagement. Through our joint development of training areas with Singapore, we are also expanding cooperation and interoperability with the Singapore Armed Forces. Interoperability with our regional partners is central to developing the ADF's operational capabilities here and overseas. (Time expired)