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Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, the Honourable Darren Chester MP, today announced that the position of Chair of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal is being advertised. “The appointment of the current Chair of the Tribunal is set to become vacant in September, and as this is a statutory appointment, the position will be advertised in accordance with Government policy,” Mr Chester said. 

SUBJECTS: Visit to Republic of Korea; Indo-Pacific; Australia-China relationship. MODERATOR: I’d like to invite our speakers to make a brief initial remark on how they view the current state of international affairs in this region, the Indo-Pacific? Deputy Prime Minister Marles, the microphone is yours.

Joint media release Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Marise Payne   Australia thanks Papua New Guinea for its support to Australia’s emergency bushfire response through the provision of military personnel from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF). Around 80 military engineers, as well as a command and liaison element from the PNGDF arrived in Australia today.

The Albanese Government has passed legislation in the Parliament which will establish the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence (PJCD). The establishment of the PJCD implements a recommendation of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade’s Inquiry into international armed conflict decision-making made during the 47th Parliament, following a referral from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence.

Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, yesterday announced approval of a $495 million investment in two projects for new facilities at the Larrakeyah Defence Precinct, Northern Territory. The first project, a $223 million base redevelopment, will address the upgrade of critical in-ground infrastructure, support on-base growth over the next 25 years, and improve the working environment for Defence personnel.

I join the fine words of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. Many of us in this place 20 years ago remember vividly the debate that took place; the presentation given by Prime Minister Howard after having been in the United States at the time of the strike against America, with those planes going into the World Trade Centre.

A $71.8 million project to support the relocation of the Army’s 17th Construction Squadron to RAAF Base Amberley has been approved by Parliament. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester, said the 17th Construction Squadron Relocation Infrastructure Project would provide new working accommodation, vehicle shelters, quartermaster stores and workshops, as well as a new Fire Training Area for the RAAF Fire Services.

Defence has awarded a multi-million dollar contract to upgrade facilities at two Darwin bases in preparation for the 2014 rotation of US Marines. Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Darren Chester today announced that Sitzler Pty Ltd has been awarded the $11 million contract to construct new facilities at Robertson Barracks and RAAF Darwin to support the deployment. “While the US Marines will mostly use existing Defence facilities, as they have in previous rotations, some modest facilities works are required to meet additional requirements,” Mr Chester said.

Defence demolished the Omega communication tower on the former Naval Transmission Site at Darriman, Victoria, on 22 April 2015. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence and local member for Gippsland the Hon Darren Chester MP said that the demolition was completed successfully and without incident. “Our primary concern was to make sure that the demolition was conducted safely, and I am pleased to say that we have achieved this goal,” Mr Chester said.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester has attended the International Defence Industry Fair held in Istanbul, Turkey this week. Mr Chester led a delegation of eight Australian defence companies, which Mr Chester said had been brought together by the Department of Defence as Team Defence Australia. “The International Defence Fair provides an excellent opportunity for Australian defence industry to showcase its capabilities and to promote our defence capability solutions to global customers,” Mr Chester said.

Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Darren Chester MP today visited the Australian Army’s 1st Brigade at Robertson Barracks, Darwin.  Mr Chester began the visit with an overview of the Brigade Headquarters, before extensively touring Robertson Barracks and meeting some of the officers and soldiers of the 1st Combat Engineer Regiment as well as patients and medical staff of the Robertson Health Centre.

Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Darren Chester MP today attended the Remembrance Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial to pause in silence and honour the brave Australians who have served in our name, for their country. “It has been a privilege to be able to pay my respects at the nation’s War Memorial. At 11 am on 11 November we all observed one minute’s silence in memory of those who died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts, and reflect on the sacrifice of the 102,000 men and women whose names appear on the Roll of Honour,” Mr Chester said.

Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, the Hon Darren Chester MP, made his first visit to the Headquarters Northern Command and HMAS Coonawarra today, where he met with personnel and toured the Navy’s most northerly base. After an invigorating physical training session with personnel from AWARE One, Mr Chester toured one of Navy’s 14 Armidale Class Patrol Boats and spent time speaking with personnel about the challenges of implementing the Government’s border protection policy.

A $707.9 million project to upgrade facilities at RAAF Bases Edinburgh (SA), Darwin (NT), Pearce (WA) and Townsville (Qld), and HMAS Stirling (WA) ahead of the arrival of new maritime patrol aircraft has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence Darren Chester announced today. Mr Chester said the Facilities Requirement for the Maritime Patrol Aircraft Replacement Project supported the acquisition of eight P-8A Poseidon aircraft.

Australian Defence Force personnel will go ‘on operations’ in Parliament House this week as part of the ADF Parliamentary Program (ADFPP) Exchange. Seventeen personnel from all three services and varying ranks will have the opportunity to experience the daily process of decision-making faced by Senators and Members.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester and the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Brown, AO today presented the Australian Air Force Cadets with their newest self-launching glider at the Australian International Airshow 2015, at Avalon. “The new gliders are a great initiative which will help expose Air Force cadets to aviation training and flying skills,” Mr Chester said.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester, today announced that the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has commenced training aircrew and support staff on United States Air Force (USAF) MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) operations in the United States. Mr Chester said that the training program provides a cost effective method to increase the ADF’s understanding of complex UAS operations and how this capability can be best used to protect Australian troops on future operations.

The integration of air power across the Australian Defence Force will provide Australia with new possibilities in the future, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence Darren Chester said today in Melbourne. Speaking at the Chief of Air Force Symposium, Mr Chester spoke about the possibilities of air power. “Air power can provide fast, responsive options for Government,” Mr Chester said.

Mr Mark Sullivan has been appointed as the Chair of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester, announced today. “Mr Sullivan is well known and well respected throughout the veterans’ community and brings extensive experience to the role of Chair of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal,” Mr Chester said.

Representatives from the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Tobruk, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) were awarded Military Civic Action medals today by the Philippines Government for their assistance following Typhoon Haiyan in late 2013. Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Philippines, General Emmanuel Trinidad Bautista, presented the medals onboard HMAS Tobruk alongside Fleet Base East, Sydney. The Honourable Darren Chester MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, congratulated the Defence personnel on their award.

Five contracts for billions of dollars worth of support services to Defence bases across the country were signed this week, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, the Hon Darren Chester MP, announced today. “These contracts will provide key services for Defence bases — everything from routine maintenance and security to pest control, waste management, transport, and even airfield operations,” Mr Chester said.

The $1.477 billion New Air Combat Capability Facilities Project has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence Darren Chester announced today. Mr Chester said the facilities project supported the acquisition of 72 new F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.

Veterans, Australian Defence Force personnel and their families should apply now for their unclaimed medals, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester, announced today. “Defence is encouraging applications for defence medals to be submitted before the end of February to ensure veterans, ADF members and families can receive their medals in time for the Centenary of Anzac commemorations this year,” Mr Chester said.

Defence has awarded a contract for the construction of facilities to support the Army’s seven new CH-47 Chinook Helicopters at RAAF Base Townsville. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester, today welcomed the appointment of Lend Lease Pty Ltd as the Head Contractor to deliver the $54.8 million project. “This project will contribute to the modernisation of the Australian Defence Force’s primary Medium Lift Helicopter capability,” Mr Chester said.

The Federal Government has announced a nation-wide search for new members of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal. Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Darren Chester said advertisements would appear in daily newspapers this weekend, seeking applicants with a diverse range of skills. “Five of the inaugural members of the tribunal will finish their appointments in July this year and the government is seeking applications from experienced professionals from all sections of the Australian community,” Mr Chester said.

The Department of Defence will sell the Pontville Small Arms Rifle Range Complex north of Hobart in Tasmania, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester MP, announced today. The site at Pontville is approximately 517 hectares in size and includes the Pontville Camp Site and the rifle range area. “Defence no longer needs the Pontville site for training or operations and as a result the site will be sold,” Mr Chester said. Until February 2014 the site had been used by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

The Department of Defence will sell the former married quarter precinct known as ‘Inverbrackie’, next to Woodside Barracks in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester, said Defence had assessed the future use of Inverbrackie and determined that it was no longer required for Defence purposes. “I have met with the Federal Member for Mayo, Jamie Briggs, and he is supportive of the decision to sell the property,” Mr Chester said.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, the Hon Darren Chester MP today met with government representatives to discuss the future of the Bulimba Barracks site in Brisbane. “Today I met with the Federal Member for Griffith, Terri Butler, the State Member for Bulimba, Di Farmer, and Morningside Councillor Shayne Sutton,” Mr Chester said. “I advised them that the Department of Defence has decided to sell around 20 hectares of the Bulimba Barracks site, which fronts onto the Brisbane River.

The Department of Defence has decided to sell Leeuwin Barracks in Fremantle, Western Australia. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester MP, said Defence had no ongoing operational or strategic need for the Leeuwin Barracks site and had decided to sell the property. Mr Chester said residential units from Leeuwin Barracks would be relocated to Irwin Barracks, and the site may be leased back by Defence if the sale proceeds before the relocation is complete.

After 20 days of increasingly intensive operations on land, air and sea, Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2015 has come to a close with an official ceremony on Monday held on board the United States Navy Flagship USS Blue Ridge in Brisbane. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence Darren Chester said the Australia-US bilateral military exercise marked a significant milestone in building the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) combat training, readiness and interoperability.