Television Interview, Today Show

SUBJECT/S: Tropic Cyclone Alfred; Support for Ukraine.

KARL STEFANOVIC, HOST: Look, there is a fair bit happening. Let's bring in Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles for the very latest. Deputy PM, good morning to you. A handful of evacuation centres are opening on the Gold coast and the SES is deploying specialist services to cyclone hot spots. What's the latest info you have?

RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Well, we've got thousands of people now between the state emergency services in both NSW and Queensland, but also the respective police and volunteers. And so this is really an example of Queensland and Northern NSW coming together to provide all the help and assistance that is needed in this moment to prepare for this event. From a defence point of view, the big need right now is sandbags. So, over the course of yesterday and today, we've provided more than 300,000 sandbags to enable people to prepare. And last night I spoke with the Chief of the Defence Force to make sure that the Defence Force was ready to work as closely as possible with National Emergency Management Australia so that we are able to respond as quickly as possible. But, even before any requests are made, I want to make sure that, and we will make sure that Defence is doing all its own planning for all these contingencies so that the response is immediate.

STEFANOVIC: Yeah, look, that's a good thing. I think it always gives people a sense of understanding and also security when the defence is involved in any way, shape or form. We've seen overnight a couple of these sandbagging joints in Brisbane just get overrun there's one in particular with our reporter there, Kendall Gilding, and people just have. There's just no sand left and no bags and people are lining up and getting more and more angry. Any other defence assets that you might be deploying over the next couple of days that you're thinking about?

MARLES: Yeah. So, I mean, one thing that people should know is that Brisbane is actually a very significant defence city. Seven Brigade, one of our three major infantry brigades, is based at Gallipoli Barracks in Enoggera, and one of the two big Air Force bases is at Amberley, just west of Brisbane. So, these two bases give us real options in terms of being able to operate from there in the course of what plays out over the next few days. So, we are imagining that we will be needing people to engage in door knocking and we're getting ready for that. If there is potential flooding, we are looking at, obviously, the airlift assets that needed to be available there. But the fact that we've got two of the largest defence bases in the country based in and around Brisbane does give us a real advantage here, and people should take some comfort from that. And again, we're making sure that they are absolutely ready to respond to every need possible over the coming days.

STEFANOVIC: It is still very present in my mind how effective they were during the floods in Lismore in 2022. Without them, god knows what would have happened. Lismore, again, looks like it's in the firing line from this cyclone. They'll be able to be deployed as far south as that. Are you moving any of those assets closer to the border?

MARLES: Well, I mean, it's not difficult to operate from both those bases that I mentioned into Northern NSW. And you're right, I mean, I remember visiting Lismore immediately after those floods, and Defence, you know, did play a very significant role then. I mean, we, the Defence Force will do everything that is required of them over the coming days. I mean, there is a lot of preparation for this event now. And as I say, I wanted to make really clear to the Chief of the Defence Force, not that I needed to, but I wanted to make really clear that in this moment, the Defence Force needs to be deployed to the fullest possible extent, because you're right, it does give people a sense of reassurance, but also there are, you know, assets and equipment that only defence has which are able to be incredibly useful in moments such as this.

STEFANOVIC: All right. In your conversations with the Chief of Defence, did you bring up the fact you might have boots on the ground? In Ukraine.

MARLES: Well, look, we will look at whatever requests come through. I mean, we do have a history of engaging in peacekeeping around the world and there are Australian servicemen and women right now who are engaged in peacekeeping in places such as the Middle East. So, we'll look at the request that comes through. You know, obviously contingencies are being worked up, but I think the important point to make is we will stand ready to assist, but we have, from the get go, stood with Ukraine in its resistance against Russia. Russia is the aggressor here and we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes for Ukraine to resolve this conflict on its terms.

STEFANOVIC: All right, Richard, always good to talk to you and it is reassuring to the public the Defence Force is on standby and ready for whatever comes in the next couple of days. Appreciate your time as always.

MARLES: Thank you.