Liberal MLA Jeremy Hanson, Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs, will today call on all parties in the ACT Legislative Assembly to publicly and vigorously oppose the Federal Greens’ “dangerous, delusional” plan to cut $300 billion from the Australian defence budget.
Last month, Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John said the Greens would reduce the defence budget to 1 per cent of GDP by 2026 if they gained the balance of power. Senator Steele-John believes cutting the defence budget in half would make $312 billion available over the next decade to spend on homelessness, health services, and income support. The Greens would also renegotiate the US alliance and close all foreign military bases in Australia, as well as signing a ban on nuclear weapons.
“This is the plan we need to ensure a peaceful future for our country,” Senator Steele-John said. “Our plan will make Australia a better global citizen, and can ensure everyone in our community has what they need to live a good life.”
Former Labor leader Bill Shorten said Senator Steele-John’s proposal was “bonkers”, and would leave Australia more reliant on US protection, while Dr Andrew Carr, a lecturer at ANU’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, said this was “a single gamble: Australia chooses not to try and defend itself, and hopes that it won’t need to”.
Mr Hanson, a former military officer, believes the Greens’ proposal would endanger ADF personnel and wreak economic havoc.
“Cuts of this magnitude would be devastating to the ACT economy, and cause thousands of lost jobs,” Mr Hanson said. “It would also place ADF personnel at significantly increased risk, and fatally compromise security.”
The ACT, Mr Hanson pointed out, is home to the Australian Defence Force headquarters, approximately 8,000 direct ADF staff, and a further 7,000 defence personnel in the APS.
The defence industry contributes $4.3 billion GSP and around 25,000 defence-related jobs to the ACT and surrounding region.
“Against this background, the Australian Greens have pledged to cut defence spending by $300 billion, which would halve the defence budget,” Mr Hanson said.
“This is not the usual fringe statement by the Greens. They have repeatedly stated they plan to form coalition government with the ALP and hold the balance of power.
“One of the seats they have targeted to achieve that is right here in Canberra.”
Dr Tjanara Goreng-Goreng will contest the ACT Senate seat, hoping to unseat Liberal incumbent Zed Seselja, while Tim Hollo will stand for the seat of Canberra in the House of Representatives, held by Labor’s Alicia Payne .
“That’s why, as a matter of urgency,” Mr Hanson said, “I am calling on the leaders of the three parties represented in the ACT Assembly to write to all federal Greens representatives and express their concern for the safety and lives of ADF personnel and the economic and job losses their planned Defence cuts would cause, and to oppose this plan.
“I call on Labor and the Greens to stand with me in support of our brave men and women in uniform, for our economy and local public service jobs.
“Now is the time for them to show their true colours – do they support local jobs and national security, or do local Labor and Greens members also support this dangerous, delusional plan?”
