THE HON ANDREW HASTIE MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR CANNING

STATEMENT
WA LABOR OUT OF TOUCH AND OUT OF THEIR DEPTH

Thursday 11 April 2024

WA Labor has made it abundantly clear that they have no understanding of the role of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), and no plan to adequately upgrade our failing health system.

Premier Roger Cook’s assumption that WA military bases would be used as quarantine centres and ADF personnel could patrol and secure WA’s borders are shortsighted and naïve.

If Mr Cook paid any attention to the state of Defence, he would know that the Albanese Government is failing to meet its recruitment and retention targets, with personnel numbers going backwards.

His comments demonstrate little regard for the role of the ADF and the strategic circumstances in which we face. This is also reflective in the lack action WA Labor has taken to prepare housing and infrastructure ahead of Submarine Rotational Force-West.

Instead of making ill-informed suggestions, former Heath Minister Cook should be focussed on fixing WA’s broken health system, and upgrading the Peel Health Campus like he promised before the 2021 state election.

This should also be the focus of our three local Labor MPs – David Templeman, ex-paramedic Lisa Munday and Robyn Clarke – who our community trusted to get these works done.

I encourage Premier cook to educate himself on the role of the ADF and urge him to stick to his word and fix the Peel Health Campus.

The people of WA deserve better.

ENDS