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

STATEMENT
RICHARD MARLES CUTS $80 BILLION FROM DEFENCE

Wednesday 17 April 2024

The Albanese Government’s release of the National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program was a test of leadership for Richard Marles.

It was a test to see if he could clearly articulate the challenges facing Australia, a strategy to deter those threats, and the funding necessary to support this.

Richard Marles has failed all three of these tests, and he is a weak Minister for Defence.

The Minister reverted to vague, bureaucratic language in talking about Australia’s national security and Defence spending, and we are still no clearer on what ‘impactful projection’ is, or how it will work for the Australian Defence Force.

Since coming to government, Richard Marles has presided over more than $80 billion of cuts and delays to the Defence budget despite the urgency of a reduced strategic warning time.

The Coalition has called for more funding now, not later. But today, the Minister refused to admit that most of the spending uplift in the next four years will be due to inflation and foreign exchange movements.

The Coalition rejects Richard Marles' ridiculous claim that defence spending is not bipartisan, considering most of the increase has been due to AUKUS—which the Coalition established and continues to support.

Under a Dutton Government, there will be clarity around threats to Australia, our strategy to defeat them, and defence funding will be higher than the Albanese Government.

[ENDS]

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

STATEMENT
TEST OF LEADERSHIP FOR RICHARD MARLES

Tuesday 16 April 2024

The Defence Minister’s National Press Club address tomorrow is a test of leadership for Richard Marles.

The Albanese Government talked a big game when it released the Defence Strategic Review. Yet nearly one year later, we continue to await Labor’s first National Defence Strategy and a fully funded Defence Integrated Investment Program.

To pass this test of leadership, there must be more than just vague language, vague promises and vague timeframes. There must be real money, real commitment and real leadership.

There is weakness and dysfunction at the heart of the Albanese Government. At a time where we need clarity, honesty and decisiveness, the Defence Minister refuses to take accountability – instead blaming his inaction on the former government, and failing the task he's been elected to do.

The truth is that despite repeatedly warning of the most dangerous strategic environment since the Second World War, Richard Marles has done nothing but oversee extended reviews, drive uncertainty and delays, cut Defence spending, and degrade capability.

Morale in the Australian Defence Force is at an all-time low as recruitment and retention numbers fall dangerously behind target.

Australia's hard working defence industry is being crippled by the Minister's indecision and lack of investment, as he continues to lose out to his colleagues at the Expenditure Review Committee table.

His vague language, and inability to explain terms like 'impactful projection' is leaving Australians confused and disengaged. There is a clear failure in articulating the threats we face amidst escalating global disorder.

Richard Marles must be honest with the Australian people about the threats and challenges we face. This must be matched with a meaningful increase in Defence spending and a clear strategy – real money, and a real direction. These are the metrics that count.

We can’t afford to see spending kicked into Labor’s forward estimates. Anything that far out isn't real. We need investment in capability now – not in ten years’ time.

If there are further cuts to Defence, as the Minister hinted at recently, Mr Marles must be clear about what the cost will be to other capabilities, programs and local jobs. And he must be clear about how cutting defence spending will support the strategy, which we are yet to see.

In October 2022, Mr Marles stood up and accepted responsibility for the Department of Defence – “no ifs, no buts”. The buck stops with him.

The Coalition calls on the Defence Minister to show the responsibility he claimed by releasing both the National Defence Strategy and Defence Integrated Investment Program tomorrow, explaining in clear language the threats we face, and how Australia will meet the challenges ahead.

ENDS

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

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

STATEMENT
COALITION CALLS ON LABOR TO START HMAS STIRLING WORKS IMMEDIATELY

Monday 8 April 2024

The Albanese Government must begin upgrades at HMAS Stirling immediately if Australia is to achieve Submarine Rotational Force–West (SRF–West) by 2027.

Despite the Department of Defence identifying workforce issues, Labor continues to stall works to uplift HMAS Stirling until 2025 – just two years before we begin to host US and UK nuclear submarines.

While the additional $83 million for infrastructure upgrades is a welcome investment, there is no clarity around when these works will commence or how workforce issues will be addressed.

Labor must also be upfront and explain why additional funding is necessary considering Defence officials, when asked in Senate Estimates, did not anticipate further investment in addition to the $8 billion already allocated.

Local councils and stakeholders in the vicinity – all of which have raised concerns about our preparedness for SRF–West – understand the importance of AUKUS and stand ready to support these critical works.

Labor must get on with the job before 2025 or risk Australia failing AUKUS at the first hurdle.

ENDS

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

STATEMENT
SELECTION OF SUBMARINE BUILD AND SUSTAINMENT PARTNERS

Friday 22 March 2024

The Coalition welcomes the progress and potential announced with the selection of the Sovereign Submarine Build Partner and the Sovereign Submarine Sustainment Partner.

As founders of AUKUS, the Coalition is pleased to see these next steps in concert with the UK and the US.

The Coalition forged the bold path for this historic agreement, and we are committed to seeing it succeed.

There are however some concerns about today’s announcement, and our preparedness for this endeavour:

1. In October last year, Defence revealed there was no provision in the Defence budget for the $5 billion payment to the UK. Labor must be upfront and clarify if the funding announced today has come from further reprioritisation within Defence – and therefore at the cost of existing capabilities.
2. Labor must work at best speed to develop the traineeship pilot programs and encourage young Australians to be a part of AUKUS. So far, the Albanese Government has failed to show strong leadership in properly explaining the significance of AUKUS to our next generation of workers, and has not done enough to encourage students to consider a career in the build, sustainment and crewing of nuclear-powered submarines. AUKUS is a nation building enterprise, but the Albanese Government hasn’t been preparing the nation for it.
3. Labor remains ambivalent about the much-needed upgrades at HMAS Stirling, which will be home to Submarine Rotational Force-West, in just three years. While it’s important to select who will maintain the submarines, it is just as vital to uplift the base, much sooner than the Government’s plan for 2025 in which they have already identified workforce issues. Our UK and US partner navies are counting on Australia being nuclear-ready by 2027.

The Coalition is calling on the Albanese Government to be honest with the Australian people and provide further details around costs, workforce and preparedness.

ENDS

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

STATEMENT
AUSTRALIA–UK DEFENCE AND SECURITY COOPERATION AGREEMENT 

Thursday 21 March 2024

The Coalition welcomes the signing of a new defence and security cooperation agreement between Australia and the United Kingdom (UK).

The UK has long been one of our closest allies and this will only deepen our partnership in an increasingly uncertain world.

The Coalition is pleased to see continued cooperation through AUKUS, closer collaboration on defence capabilities and in increase in the UK’s presence in the region.

The Opposition looks forward to receiving a briefing on this matter and is committed to working in the best interests of Australia’s defence and national security.

ENDS

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

STATEMENT ON JOINT STATUTORY COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE

Tuesday 19 March 2024

Shadow Minister for Defence, Defence Industry and Defence Personnel, the Hon. Andrew Hastie MP, has welcomed a letter from Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon. Richard Marles, indicating the Albanese Government will prioritise the establishment of a Joint Statutory Committee on Defence (JCD).

Mr Hastie first wrote to the Minister in 2022 requesting a JCD be established – modelled on and with the same security and secrecy provisions as the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.

The new Joint Statutory Committee on Defence will bring rigorous Parliamentary oversight to Australia's Defence agencies and the Australian Defence Force and facilitate confidential discussions and briefings.

It comes as the passage of the Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2023 and the Safeguarding Australia’s Military Secrets 2023 are expedited this sitting fortnight – both of which are vital to the success and progression of AUKUS.

The Coalition looks forward to receiving the draft legislation within weeks and offers bipartisan support to the Government in progressing the Committee at best speed.

ENDS

Monday 8 May 2023

HASTIE PUTS PREMIER ON NOTICE: “IT’S TIME TO DELIVER FOR PEEL”

Canning MP Andrew Hastie is not backing down as he puts Premier Mark McGowan on notice to deliver for the people of the Peel region ahead of the 2023-24 State Budget this Thursday.

Last week Labor announced a $1.2 billion investment in public hospital infrastructure. However, Mr Hastie expressed his frustration that just $6.5 million is allocated for the Peel Health Campus transformation.

Mr Hastie said he would expect to see greater investment in the Peel Health Campus.

“This is not good enough. Since 2018, I have been campaigning with the community for WA Labor to deliver updates to the Peel Health Campus,” he said.

“Despite boasting the only state government surplus in Australia, the hospital system in WA is plagued by issue after issue.

“Throwing small amounts of funding at our hospitals doesn’t solve it. The Premier needs to reverse his decision to delay works at the Peel Health Campus – the hospital upgrades need to start now.”

Mr Hastie has spoken several times in Federal Parliament about the failures of the Labor government in managing the health system which is leading to bed shortages, ambulance ramping and unacceptable waiting times. 

“There was radio silence from WA Labor as ambulance ramping hit a record high in December 2022. Then – last month – they suddenly turned up to take credit for the hard work of our hospital's emergency staff, who have managed to turn around ramping figures without assistance from the State Government,” Mr Hastie said.“When the going gets tough, WA Labor’s only priority is saving face – they couldn’t care less about the needs and concerns of the people of WA.

“We want action, and we wanted it yesterday. Premier, it’s time to deliver for Peel.”

Mr Hastie is hosting a Peel Community Health Forum on May 20 2023 at Lane Group Stadium at 11 Dower Street, Mandurah, and he is encouraging the local community to come along and have their say on the state of healthcare in the Peel region.

Community members can register to attend here.

Over 3,300 people have signed Mr Hastie’s petition calling for urgent action at the Peel Health Campus, which can be found here.