SENATOR THE HON SIMON BIRMINGHAM
SHADOW MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE
SENATOR FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA

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

JOINT STATEMENT
LABOR FINALLY ANSWERS UKRAINE’S CALLS FOR TANKS

Thursday 17 October 2024

The gifting of retiring M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine is a welcome, albeit belated, decision by the Albanese Labor Government.

The Coalition has consistently supported Ukraine’s calls for the gifting of outgoing military equipment and remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion.

Since February, Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko has been pleading with Labor for Australia’s retiring tanks. For eight months that plea has been ignored, with Defence Minister Richard Marles going as far as saying the gifting of Abrams tanks was “not on the agenda”.

It now appears that mounting pressure of Australia becoming an international embarrassment over its contributions to Ukraine has led the Albanese Government to learn from its past mistakes, after refusing to gift the retiring Taipan helicopters to Ukraine.

A Senate inquiry initiated by the Coalition in March this year, following the debacle of Labor burying rather than gifting the Taipans, also recommended that these tanks be gifted. We urge the government to comprehensively respond to all 22 recommendations of this report.

More than two years on the front line, the Ukrainian people need hard combat power, and the support of like-minded partners like Australia to continue in their fight for freedom.

[ENDS]