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Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and opposition defence spokesman Richard Marles have announced a series of commitments to support Australia’s defence industry and broader force structure as the election race heats up.
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With polls tightening ahead of the 18 May poll, Shorten and Marles have responded to recent announcements made by the government.
A core component of the announcements made by Labor includes a $105 million commitment to invest in the defence industry infrastructure at the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson and a $10 million investment to support the creation of the Western Australian Defence Industry Support Centre.
Shorten's statement said, "Labor’s investment in the Henderson shipyard precinct will give Western Australia the modern facilities it needs to be part of Australia’s defence industry future and help defence industry businesses grow."
This investment will increase the facility's capacity to support larger vessels and its wharf and services infrastructure, including the addition of a sling lift.
"Labor will also provide $10 million to establish the Western Australian Defence Industry Support Centre. This commitment will leverage investment from the private sector and the state government to support small and medium-sized Western Australian businesses to be part of Australia’s defence industry supply chain. Western Australia has excellent skills to offer our defence industry but faces the challenge of distance when competing for defence contracts, and in international markets," the statement added.
WA Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia welcomed the commitments announced by federal Labor, saying, "Funding to upgrade infrastructure at the AMC and Henderson will greatly improve the WA defence industry's ability to be a major competitor in both the national and international defence markets and ensure we are able to support our national defence requirements for years to come."
This first commitment also saw federal Labor commit to the construction of three major naval ships in WA – echoing the commitment made by the Coalition – with Labor adding a commitment for each Australian-owned defence industry company that:
- Employs more than a thousand people globally in defence industries;
- Is high tech in nature and is producing intellectual property of significant value in Australia; and
- Earns the majority of its revenue from defence industry exports,
Will be designated as an Australian defence industry prime.
Labor also outlined that a Labor government will actively work with each Australian defence industry prime to ensure its industrial capability is:
- At a level that enables it to produce products that are competitive in the ADF’s procurement process;
- Developed to enhance its export opportunities, actively backed by government and Defence; and
- Maintained in Australia.
"This commitment will mean an extra 1,000 jobs in the local defence industry. Labor will make sure an Australian company takes the lead in this project so the industrial and export capability is developed here," Labor's announcement added.
"The creation of a Defence Industry Support Centre in Western Australia (DISC-WA) will help bridge this gap and assist Western Australian companies to grow and develop their defence capabilities and ensure WA can continue to meet the emerging needs of defence both domestically and internationally," Minister Papalia added.
Finally, Shorten and Marles announced the first review of Australia's force posture since 2012. Labor has recognised that "the world looks different from when Australia’s last force posture review was undertaken by the former Labor government in 2011-12. We now face the most challenging set of strategic circumstances since the Second World War".
Labor said the review would consider whether the ADF personnel, infrastructure and assets are correctly geographically positioned to meet our future strategic challenges.
Since the last Force Posture Review, there have been two Defence White Papers, and a bi-partisan commitment to spending 2 per cent of GDP on Defence, including the acquisition of 72 joint striker fighters, 12 submarines, 12 offshore patrol vessels, nine frigates, 21 pacific patrol boats and 211 combat reconnaissance vehicles.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
