Radio Interview, ABC AM

SUBJECTS: ADF Personnel; Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred; AUKUS; Support for Ukraine. 

SABRA LANE, HOST: We're joined now by Richard Marles, the Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. He's in Brisbane. Good morning and welcome.

RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Sabra. How are you?

LANE: I'm well. What is the latest with the Defence assistance there?

MARLES: Well, we now have about 500 personnel who are supporting people in Queensland and then another 700 who are supporting people in northern NSW. They're assisting in emergency recovery centres, in doing welfare checks, still sandbagging, a lot of route clearance, which was in fact what was being done by the personnel on Saturday prior to that accident. So, there's a lot of Defence Force personnel out and about. We've obviously got high clearance vehicles in play and there is an airlift capacity ready to be deployed if that's required as well. And indeed there are more personnel who are available if that's also required. So, there's a higher degree of readiness and activity on the part of the Defence Force. But you know, this is really a wonderful example of all the emergency services and thousands of volunteers coming together to help in this moment of difficulty.

LANE: And the injured Defence personnel from that accident, 12 were injured, two seriously. What's an update on their condition?

MARLES: So, in fact 13 were injured and were initially in hospital. All but one have now been released from hospital. There is one person who remains in hospital. That person is in a stable condition, non life threatening injuries and is expected to recover. So, there's broadly good news in terms of those personnel.

LANE: And more than 24 hours after that accident, do authorities have any idea about what happened?

MARLES: No, that's still a matter which is under investigation. As we said yesterday, the two vehicles rolled, there wasn't a collision, but the circumstances are still being investigated.

LANE: One of Donald Trump's top picks for the Pentagon, Eldridge Colby, has restated his criticisms about the United States selling submarines to Australia under the AUKUS agreement. He says it poses a very difficult problem for the United States and could endanger its own sailors. Does that ring alarm bells for you?

MARLES: Well, we've been working with the United States very closely. We understand the challenge that exists within the US to have a production rate and a sustainment rate of Virginias such that there is an availability for the United States–

LANE: They're points that you've previously made on AM. To the specifics, though, of that question, this man is about to be potentially the Under Secretary for Defense. Do his comments ring alarm bells for you?

MARLES: Well, what they point to is the issues that we knew about at the time that we signed the optimal agreement and is why we're making a contribution to the United States’ industrial base to increase the availability of Virginia class submarines within the United States Navy. And that's a point which has been accepted and understood by the US Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, in the meeting that I had with him– 

LANE: And these comments have been made subsequent to that meeting.

MARLES: Sure. But the comments go to the points that we have been aware of for some time. I mean, Bridge Colby has also been supportive of AUKUS in his comments as well. And so when you take his comments in total, that's where his position's at. But he's pointing out the need to ensure that there is an appropriate availability of Virginia class submarines, which is a challenge that we understood back in March of 2023 when the Optimal Pathway was signed. And that's why we're contributing to the US industrial base. And it's a significant contribution and it's going to increase the availability of Virginia class submarines for the United States.

LANE: So, the point of the question: that does not ring alarm bells with you?

MARLES: Well, it speaks to the challenge that we've always known has existed. And we are jointly, the United States and Australia, working together on that challenge. And that's going well in the sense that we are making the contributions, we are seeing an increase in production rates, and over the time frame in which we are looking to have our Virginia class submarines transferred to us, we are confident that this challenge can be met.

LANE: There is a major meeting happening in Europe tomorrow, on Wednesday their time about Ukraine. Who is Australia's representative and is their objective to listen or offer an Australian contribution?

MARLES: Well, the representative will be Vice-Marshal Di Turton, who is Australia's military representative to NATO. We will be listening to what is being talked about in terms of the potential scenarios and planning for Ukraine. Right now, that's in a sense the request of us, is to participate in planning meetings and planning for eventual scenarios in Ukraine. And obviously we will continue to do that. We don't as yet have a request request for boots on the ground in respect of any peacekeeping operation, most obviously, because at this moment there's not a peace to keep. And– 

LANE: But the PM on that point has said that we're open to doing something like that. How mindful is the Government that the Opposition has said that peacekeeping troops shouldn't be sent. Doesn't such a commitment require a bipartisan position on that, especially so close to an election?

MARLES: Well, I mean, we're watching the Opposition seek to politicise every matter possible when it comes to Defence. Actually, that's really a matter for the Opposition. I mean, they have been apparently supportive of giving assistance to Ukraine over a long period of time, and yet now, in the eve of an election, they're taking every moment they can to politicise every issue that they can in relation to Defence. And frankly, I think this is an extraordinary position for the Leader of the Opposition to take. I mean, all we are saying is that if a request comes, we'll give it the due consideration that we've given every request in respect of assistance to Ukraine. Bearing in mind we have Australian service personnel in Britain right now providing training to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. So, in terms of the Australian resources, there are already service personnel in the United Kingdom providing assistance. We will take any request from our partners in relation to Ukraine and give it due consideration. And if there is a manner in which we can help, we will. Now, I don't think that's a particularly extraordinary thing to say. And in the context of all support that has actually been offered from both sides of politics to Ukraine over the last three years, that's an entirely consistent position. What's inconsistent is the position that the Leader of the Opposition has taken on the eve of an election to seek to politicise everything that is occurring in relation to Defence. And really, you know, that puts a big question mark in my mind around Peter Dutton's fitness to govern and fitness to govern in respect of all Australians.

LANE: Mr. Marles, we're out of time. Thanks for joining AM this morning.

MARLES: Thanks, Sabra.

ENDS