THE HON ANDREW HASTIE MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL

STATEMENT
PM DITHERS ON DEFENCE DETAILS

Tuesday 1 April 2025

The Prime Minister continues to prove that he is out of his depth when it comes to defence and national security matters.

Mr Albanese yesterday insisted that it was the Australian Defence Force (ADF) that was monitoring Chinese dual-purpose research vessel, Tan Suo Yi Hao, which is circumnavigating the southern coast of Australia within our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

However, the Prime Minister’s Deputy, Richard Marles, had to step out this morning to clean up the Prime Minister’s mess, clarifying that it is the Australian Border Force taking the lead on monitoring the vessel, not the ADF.

The Prime Minister’s latest gaffe comes after he baselessly compared the Chinese vessel’s operations within our EEZ to activities that the ADF undertakes in the South China Sea.

This is disrespectful to the men and women of the ADF.

Meantime, Richard Marles has seemingly taken a leaf out of the Prime Minister’s book by explaining away this latest behaviour, telling media that the Australian public needed to take a “deep breath”.

Have Labor already forgotten about the flotilla of Chinese warships that circumnavigated Australia and disrupted commercial flight paths with live-firing exercises – something they had to be alerted to by a Virgin Airlines pilot?

Anthony Albanese and Richard Marles continue to prove that they have little understanding about Australia’s national security, despite repeating that we are living in the most dangerous strategic environment.

Labor cannot be trusted with Australia’s defence.

Only a Dutton Coalition Government can get Defence back on track.

[ENDS]