Television Interview, ABC News Breakfast

SUBJECTS: Australia’s counter-drone capability, Middle East conflict; Tax on oil; Gas exports.

EMMA REBELLATO, HOST: Welcome back on this Tuesday morning. You’re watching News Breakfast. Great to have your company. 

Well, there is a lot going on in the world of news, a lot of focus, as well, on the latest developments in the Middle East. For now, let’s go to the Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, who joins us now from Melbourne. Minister, thanks for joining us. 

PAT CONROY, MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY: My pleasure, Emma.

REBELLATO: First of all, why are you in Melbourne today? 

CONROY: I’m in Melbourne to announce a more than doubling of funding from the Australian government for drone defences or counter-drone capability. I think if anyone’s seen the conflict in Ukraine or the current conflict in the Middle East knows that it’s really important that you have drones, but also you have drone defences. And we’re more than doubling the funding for this area. And I’ll be visiting an innovative Melbourne company that makes drones and counter-drones and announcing a very significant contract that will allow them to produce counter-drone platforms that cost a lot less than the drones that they’re going to knock down. And this is important because we’re seeing in the Middle East, for example, people using a $3 million missile to destroy a $100,000 drone. So you want to be on the other side of that equation, and this Aussie company will be part of that solution. 

REBELLATO: And is this additional funding that we’re talking about here for these drones’ capabilities?  

CONROY: Absolutely. We’re increasing Defence funding by $117 billion above the trajectory we inherited. And as part of that, we’re more than doubling funding for counter-drone capabilities. We’ve increased our drone investment by 50 per cent. We’ve doubled missile defence funding, and we’ve more than doubled funding for missile production in this country. So, this is a government that’s investing in our defence, but investing in a defence future made in Australia so that we get Aussie jobs, sovereignty and independence by making these things here in this country. 

REBELLATO: Minister, US Vice President JD Vance, we believe he will be heading to Pakistan soon for talks. We still aren’t quite sure what’s going on exactly. Iran doesn’t seem to be involved in these discussions in Pakistan. Do you have any idea, have any clarity about what’s going on there? 

CONROY: I don’t have anything to add beyond what’s in the public arena already. But we’re obviously urging the ceasefire to be maintained, for negotiations to resume between the parties and for there to be de-escalation. It’s in the interests of the entire world for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened. The closure is having a massive impact on the global economy. And the sooner the parts get together to negotiate a de-escalation the better for the whole world. 

REBELLATO: Well, Donald Trump says the US won’t lift its blockade of Iranian parts until Tehran agrees to a peace deal to end the war. You must be worried about how long that could go for then? 

CONROY: Well, the situation, Emma, is obviously very fragile, and it’s been going on for a number of weeks now since the end of February. And we think both parties should de-escalate. We believe that the original aims of the conflict for the United States have been secured in terms of reducing the ability of Iran to attack its neighbours has been secured. So we think de-escalation is justified. That’s why we were one of the 49 countries that joined the Strait of Hormuz freedom of navigation summit last week. That’s why we’ll participate in the follow-up London summit. The Strait of Hormuz needs to be reopened. International trade needs to go through there so that the global economy can recover. 

REBELLATO: Yeah, just on this next meeting that will happen with that summit, so obviously Australia is involved. But do you know how that will happen? Will someone be there in person representing Australia? 

CONROY: Well, if the Paris summit was a guide, most leaders used telepresence. That’s what Prime Minister Albanese did, and a number of other leaders from our region used telepresence, and I think that will be the case. But I don’t know for certain. But it’s a really important way of connecting, 49 countries coming together saying we need to be part of the diplomatic solution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz once de-escalation of the conflict has occurred. 

REBELLATO: The Treasurer said that Australia is – Australia’s economy is hostage to decisions made in Washington and Tehran. Is Australia lobbying Washington directly to end this war? 

CONROY: Well, our private commentary is the same as our public, which is calling for a de-escalation, calling for talks to continuing, calling for the ceasefire to hold. So that’s what we’re saying in public and that’s what we’re saying in private. 

REBELLATO: A parliamentary inquiry is going to begin today into the taxing of oil and gas resources in Canberra. Now, your colleague Ed Husic says it would be a missed opportunity if the government does not impose a 25 per cent tax on gas exports in the May Budget. Do you agree with him? 

CONROY: Well, Ed is a backbencher and Ed has the right to make commentary like that, and I respect Ed’s contribution. I’m a member of the federal cabinet, and I won’t be commenting on things like that. There’s lots of speculation around what will be and what will be in the budget or what should be in the budget. And I’m going to let the Treasurer announce that on the second Tuesday in May. 

REBELLATO: Pat Conroy, thanks for joining us. 

CONROY: Thanks, Emma. Have a good morning. 

ENDS