Tim Wilson
Goldstein · Liberal Party · Australia
“Now, we see even more immoral leadership as the Prime Minister and his ministers refuse to audit whether federal money has found its way into the hands of organised crime through the CFMEU Labor cartel.”
“The silence that we heard from our prime minister and our national leaders every step of the way led to horrific incidents like, on 10 November, the protests at the front of Central Shule in Caulfield South in the Goldstein electorate. It led eventually to the most horrific terrorist incident on our most famous national beach.”
“The idea that you would put the social solidarity of the most marginalised section of our community on a ballot paper knowing it would fail is an abrogation of leadership and responsibility and something I do not think this prime minister will ever be able to shake.”
“I've recently been spending a lot of time thinking about what moral government is and what type of government seeks to divide citizens, feed corruption and break trust within the community. The short and sharp of it is that it's an immoral government.”
“But to engage in citizenship stacking, where they deliberately went around and targeted electorates and got people to become Australian citizens on the eve of a national poll, is absolutely disgraceful.”
“There is hope. We can have a moral government again that's focused on uniting Australians and building trust and taking Australia forward together. But the only way we can do that is by seeing a change of government and the end of the Albanese government.”
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“I have a dog eared copy of Whatever It Takes , not through a component of scholarship but simply because somebody gave me a second-hand copy when I was an adult. It's a reflection very much on the use and wielding of political power. But he was clearly a larger-than-life figure when he was in this place and down the road. You hear this from the speakers who have honoured his life and his legacy and his achievements as a minister but, more clearly, as a significant contributor to the labour movement. There's a certain fondness that I think we all must have when condolence motions are made from whatever side of politics, when you have a partisan who's held in such—I don't know whether it's rancour or esteem, or perhaps it's a mixture of both. There's nonetheless an affection and warmth because at least they were in the fight together.”
“And then I went on to say, 'Outside of a'—expletive—'show, how do you see our internal games at the moment?' I won't repeat what happened thereafter, except I finished my SMS exchange by saying, 'Hence I asked.' That certainly reflects the engagement I had with Graham Richardson: forthright, honest, private—apart from of course what's now read into the parliamentary Hansard . He was somewhat of a political—it's odd to say 'mentor' about somebody from the other side of politics. But he was somebody who actually sought me out and started to engage during his media career. I didn't know him at the time he was in this place. I only read about his political career well after it was gone.”
“I'd like to, of course, follow on from the remarks of the previous speaker in paying respects to the life of Graham Richardson. On the Tuesday before his passing, my phone lit up. I got an SMS and it started with, 'Mate, you looked good on ABC News tonight. Hope you are well.' And I replied—and I hope he doesn't mind me breaching confidences—'Thanks, Richo. I still owe you lunch.' 'Ha-ha. Yes, you keep promising that.' 'Well, I do. I'm just pointing out I haven't forgotten,' was my response.”
“You keep us strong. More importantly, you keep us connected—particularly those who don't necessarily have full support or assistance from their family or friends. The work you do ensures that we all stay safe. Thank you very much.”
“Hundreds soaked up fleeting sunshine, with live entertainment, local artists, classic cars, the local Lions Club of Brighton sizzling sausages and scones galore. To celebrate outstanding contributions, the inaugural Ken Beadle Award was awarded to Ken Beadle, the former Bayside mayor and long time Neighbourhood Watch champion. No doubt there will be many worthy recipients in the years to come. We thank all the volunteers, and also those that provide the leadership to Neighbourhood Watch Bayside, including their president and emcee, Phil Lovel, the event coordinator Geoff Bransbury and the event curator Michelle Laragy. I just want to say to everybody who's involved with Neighbourhood Watch—in Bayside and Glen Eira and Kingston, and across Australia—thank you so much for the wonderful work that you do. You keep our community safe.”
“Every dollar raised supports this grant and brings us closer to a cure. Run4Rossy has raised $131,000 in 2025 and nearly half a million dollars since 2021.To help Karen and the team take more steps towards beating the beast, I've donated, and I hope others will too by going to www.beatthebeast.me/run-4-rossy. The best thing we can do to combat loneliness and support each other is to turn to our neighbours. Since 1982, Neighbourhood Watch has brought volunteer residents together to be the first line of safety for the community, and Neighbourhood Watch Bayside was founded a year later in 1983. Each volunteer is precious and sews a stitch in our community's social fabric. To thank them for their incredible service, two Saturdays ago Neighbourhood Watch Bayside held their big thank you picnic at Brighton's Ballilla.”
“At just 31 years old, Chris Ross faced the devastating news of a motor neurone disease terminal diagnosis. Chris faced a choice and chose to live his life to help others fighting MND. With friends Josh Newman and Josh Webster, he launched Beat the Beast and Run4Rossy, an annual event raising awareness, hope and funds for MND research. Their bold mission was $1 million for a cure. Chris passed in August 2023, but his vision lives on. Run4Rossy, led by a dedicated committee including Chris's mum Karen Ross—a wonderful human being; Chris's brother, Ben Ross; chair, John McCluskey; Sian Davey; Lisa Bugg; Gaye Findlay and Erin Ford continues his incredible legacy. This year's Run4Rossy event was the biggest yet, partnering with FightMND to announce a research grant in Chris's honour.”
“More importantly, the cost of not doing so forces people on low incomes, which once upon a time the Labor party claimed they represented, to continue to live with the suffering and pain not just this Christmas but beyond and into 2026—and it won't be a happy new year.”
“Their only answer has been to spend more money and borrow from the future to use debt spending and push up inflation, which has only perpetuated the problems that Australians are now living with. We just heard it from the members for Dickson, Cooper and so many other electorates. When Australians are saying that we need to confront the problem of electricity prices, the answer has been: let them eat solar panels. Let them eat batteries. Let them eat asbestos filled wind farms. This is not right. We need a pathway where we can get Australians to cheaper bills through energy addition. We need a pathway that gets cheaper bills now.”
“That's because the best pathway to achieve lower emissions is to lower energy prices. When people cannot afford their electricity bills, concern around emissions falls by comparison. It's always been thus. It's a failure of this government to understand how important the link between energy prices and support for emissions cuts is. They go hand in hand. At the last election, the Australian people went and took on trust that this government understood these important issues, but what's become increasingly important for so many Australians is how much the government is blind and deaf to their concerns, how blind and deaf they are to the real financial pain that people are living.”
“I know the member for Dickson's answer when we have problems with cost-of-living pressures is, 'Let them eat solar batteries, let them eat solar panels and let them eat asbestos filled wind farms,' but that is not the answer. People need financial relief, and the only solution the government has is expenditure to push prices up. This isn't a plan that Australians need. Their answer is to just constantly talk about an energy transition that does not do what they claim it will do, which is push down prices. What we need is an energy addition which actually contributes to the future of our country by building new energy. Yes, we need to be technology neutral. We need to build a pathway for new generation that takes advantage of our existing networks and distribution and, of course, factors in emissions as well.”
“Despite the Treasurer crowing previously that he had combated inflation and we had gotten to an end, it persists. Also high interest rates are persisting. That's when people face tough choices about their future. It's easy for the member for Dickson to get up in this parliament and say, 'Yes, there is more rooftop solar on houses in some coalition seats.' I do accept that. Part of the reason is that people in low-income areas in particular live in apartments and they don't face the same options and choices as people who own their own homes. This is a debate about making sure low-income earners have choices and are able to afford fair pathways. People who live in apartments don't have those same choices, particularly when they can't afford upfront costs.”
“So, while I understand the hectoring from members of the government in defence of not delivering on their $275 reduction on electricity bills, the lived experience of Australians from this is real. There are so many Australians who are doing it tough right now through cost-of-living pain and, instead of getting a $275 reduction in their electricity bill, promised by the Albanese government, they've lived with the reality of increases by up to 40 per cent. Small businesses are struggling. We have record small business insolvency. They've seen increases of their electricity bills by up to 80 per cent. It is no surprise that so many small businesses and so many households are doing it tough. We got data this week from the Australian Bureau of Statistics that talked explicitly about the problems with inflation.”
“This time of year, as we tend towards Christmas, we all think about those who are less fortunate than us. We think about the struggling pensioners who are making tough choices about how they are going to make ends meet. They want to give presents to their grandchildren. They are looking at mounting bills. The electricity bill comes in and, as it rises by up to 40 per cent, they have to make tough choices. Some families and households have to make choices about whether they buy food or afford rent or pay their electricity bill or turn on the air conditioner. The same decisions are made by low-income earners and those on a fixed income. It's a challenge all around the country.”
“Of course, humility is something that's always required in these situations—something the state member for Sandringham lacked by crowing about his medal-free performance in the Victorian parliament recently. But this was about Sandy little aths and the community, so I give a big shout-out of thanks to Nick Milat, the head of community engagement at Sandy little aths; Jacqui Cooper, who acted as emcee; President Ben Albrecht; the Sandy little aths committee; and everyone who made this incredible event possible. It was such a wonderful day. The sun was shining. There were smiles everywhere. There was excellent music from the DJ. But, more than anything, it brought the Sandy little aths community together to have a wonderful celebration.”
“Don't let the image of a crushed Coles banana crossing the finishing line put you off, Deputy Speaker Claydon. Saturday week ago, the Sandringham Little Athletics club hosted its first-ever community cup during the Coles community round. The highlight was the 400-metre team relay face-off between team Coles, City of Bayside, Grill'd burgers Hampton, Community Bank Sandringham, Hello Bello Pizza in Black Rock—which makes the fourth-best pizza in the world—team Brad Rowswell MP, team Tim Wilson MP and a team of Sandy little aths athletes. 'How did we go?' the House may ask. It's best not to imagine the C hariots of Fire music as I crossed the finish line, crushed banana in hand. The Bananas i n Pyjamas theme music might be a little bit more appropriate, with running gait instead.”
“More importantly, if you're in a position to assist or support them, we understand how important this issue is to you. As part of a country that does believe in the equal dignity and worth of all people, we understand how important it is for us to stand by you, to stand up for them, and to stand up for the type of country we want to be and for the type of world we want for everybody. The basic principles of human rights are about the lived-out Liberal vision that we want for all people. That's the basis on which we support this motion.”
“It makes it very difficult when you have a government operating on a fanatical basis, putting their ideology ahead of their people, their human rights and their best interests. There's a tragic reality sitting behind the lived condition of so many people in Afghanistan right now. That's why this motion is so important, as are many of the motions brought before this parliament. It's an opportunity for us to come together, to stand up and to speak up. What we should want for every person, no matter where they are born on this earth, is that they are treated with equal dignity and respect based simply on their rights as a human being. For the Hazara who made it to Australia and who are caring for people and family members back in Afghanistan, we extend warmth to you and love to those who are not with you.”
“With that goes not only declining culture but also economic progress, and—we've seen this—it makes a society less able to adapt and respond to terrible conditions. The previous speaker, the member for Melbourne, talked about the tragic realities of what happened with the earthquakes last August. When those terrible events occur, the full consequences of denied economic development come to the fore: countries aren't in a position where they are able to respond, to support their people or to provide the aid or relief that is so important in times of tragedy. Of course, we're very proud as a nation to be able to lend a hand in those difficult times, but we also want to be able to support countries to support themselves.”
“This is a denial of people's basic sense of agency and purpose, and a denial of their capacity to be able to exercise their basic rights as human beings. When it comes down to it, the Liberal ideal of human rights is anchored in the equal dignity and worth of all people. It's something we should never be afraid to stand up for, because sitting behind the equal dignity and worth of all people is the very basis on which people are treated equally as part of a free society. But the brutal reality, as we all know, is that that is not the lived condition of so many people currently in Afghanistan. It's a denial of not just their agency but their full contribution to the rest of their society, including their culture, which everybody is losing as a consequence.”
“We should never forget the scale of the challenges that are left at home in Afghanistan. We all remember some of those graphic and moving images as the last American air force planes left the tarmacs of Afghanistan only a few years ago. People were desperate in their efforts to leave as the Taliban made their way into the nation's capital. As so often had been the case in the past as the Taliban advanced, people knew of the terrible human rights tragedies that could unfold as a consequence of attacks on minorities, women, homosexuals and other people who didn't fit in with the fanatical world view of the Taliban. The tragedies continue to be lived every day by so many people and include declining education standards, denial of access to education and basic health services, and reduced capacity to have a normal life or a career.”
“I'm proud to stand up and support the spirit of this motion because, as with many motions that are before this Chamber, it's important to be able to say we were here and stood up for what was right. We have the Hazara community within Australia, new Australians who have contributed an enormous amount to our country and, more importantly, continue to contribute to the success of our nation. These people come to this nation—sometimes not intentionally but through humanitarian programs—make a home for themselves and then go on to become full participants in the Australian way of life. They bring their full selves—including their heritage, their recognition and their history—to enrich our nation, but that does not mean they leave behind the legacy of their homeland and the challenges of Afghanistan.”
“When a Labor government actively stokes increases in HECS debts, as it's doing right now and as it did before the last election, and then comes along and moves that private debt onto the taxpayer, it's not just hurting young Australians today; it's hurting them into the future. The idea that we should celebrate that is one of the most despicable things that I have ever seen a Labor government seek to do.”
“They haven't actually solved it. They've just pushed it further into the future. So I can't celebrate this incredible achievement of the Labor Party, because it is the boast of a thief to claim that they have solved any problem. In fact, it is the reverse. It is the greatest example of spin over substance—the perpetuation of debt and an unresolved issue of inflation which continues to persist. We hear this regularly from the Treasurer, where he talks about how he thinks he's slayed the inflationary dragon, yet it persists. Inflation is not going down. Interest rates are not going down. And they're stoking it further so that at the next election they can promise that they're somehow going to be able to cut further HECS debts—because they are continuing to drive them up. We need to be honest.”
“While Labor members come into this chamber and boast about their incredible achievement because they somehow managed to take private debt and put it onto the taxpayer, what they're not doing is addressing the root cause of the problem that they created in the first place. The problem of spiralling increases in HECS debts was caused by inflation. Inflation was being driven by the federal and state governments borrowing from the future to spend today, which meant there was too much money chasing too few goods and services. That stoked inflation. That debt spending meant inflation was higher, which meant interest rates were higher, which meant the Australian people were paying more in interest rates. And, of course, it meant that they were having to pay higher repayments on their HECS debts. Labor created the problem.”
“And I said: 'Yes, but there's one little problem. Labor created the problem you're trying to solve. Because they can't control their spending addiction, inflation continues to be a problem. They've created a problem. Their solution then is to take that debt—it doesn't disappear—and to chuck it onto the taxpayer. As a consequence, not only are future generations going to pay for it but, in fact, your son or your daughter is still going to have to pay off that debt for their education. They're just going to give them a temporary reprieve. So, in the end, the whole of society is going to pick up the consequences of buying Labor a pathway through this election, because they can't control their spending addiction.' This is the problem.”
“I said that, as somebody who's paid off all of their tertiary education debt and is representing an electorate of many people who have paid off all of their tertiary education debt, it seemed challenging to turn around to future generations—as well as to those who've done it previously—and say simply that people should pay off other debt when they've already paid off their own debt. In my case, I'd already paid off my debt, and I was now being asked to pay off somebody else's. He hadn't quite considered that, and he accepted that what was being put forward by Labor was a challenge. I remember standing at a polling booth, and a mum said to me, 'Well, you know, I haven't got anything particular I'm voting on, but Labor's promising this, so I might as well vote for it because it'll help my kids'.”
“But it's important to get it in perspective. We need to make sure that, when people pursue education, they take responsibility for themselves. They enjoy benefits from that education—not only private benefits, but public benefits as well. In the lead-up to the last election, there were a number of occasions when I talked to residents about the Labor government's policy of wiping off student debt. I remember I was at North Brighton train station, and a lovely young fellow came up to me and asked me what my policy position was in the context of what had been put forward by the Labor Party.”
“It's been interesting listening to the contributions from many of the members present in the chamber—as though students are some sort of distant concept to be observed on the way to the train station. As a student myself, I think it's always fascinating being immersed in university life and how important it is that people continue their education throughout the whole of their life. I know you too, Deputy Speaker, consider your ongoing education to be a very important part of your responsibilities as a member of parliament. We all need to continue to grow and meet the challenges of the 21st century. Education is at the heart of the great Liberal project of this country. Universal education was one of the proudest achievements of the Liberal project, and it is something that we continue to fight for.”
“They're often on the front line of making sure that people can get access to the goods and services they need in their community when larger businesses don't see it as economically or commercially viable. That's why small business matters so much. It's not just about providing economic opportunities for families but also about creating that first step on the ladder of opportunity for the next generation of Australians. We'll always back in small business, because it's a central pillar of the Australian economy.”
“This government have no vision or no hope for small business, but the opposition do. We believe in backing you because you've backed yourself. The reality is that the status quo is not good enough. We need the two million small businesses in this country to be proud, to be confident and to rally together to stand up against a government that wants to cripple them. We need those small businesses to stand up, have their voice heard in this nation's parliament and call out the overtaxation, overregulation and all of the other limitations that are stopping them from being their best selves so they can support their communities. So often, small businesses are on the front line of community service delivery. They're the ones that are sponsoring the local footy club and the local netball club, or making sure that they can meet consumer needs.”
“There's never been a time when we've needed more people to stand up and speak out for small business against state governments and this federal government, who do so much to cripple them. It's so important now to be part of change, because when small business stands tall, Australia stands strong. And it's so important that we stand with small business because we need to fight for shopkeepers who can't find staff. We need to fight for the tradie who's drowning in compliance. We need to fight for the cafe owner facing yet another impossible bill. We need to fight for every small-business person that feels alone and abandoned. Well, you're not alone. Some of us believe strongly in what you're doing and want to stand up for you because when small business stands tall, Australia stands strong. And it's time we did that.”
“If you can't make a profit, you can't employ, you can't invest and you can't survive. It's about fairness because a system designed for multinational unions should not be imposed on a family cafe with three staff. It's about pride because every 'open' sign in every shop window is an act of defiance and of hope. And it's about our future because the next generation of Australian jobs, innovation and growth won't come from governments or bureaucracies but from the courage and creativity of small businesses to back themselves. That's why we need a profitability revolution. We need people to employ Australians again, through a fair work reset. And we need local economic power, where small businesses go on to employ others and create opportunities for the rest of the community.”
“We have a cost-of-small-business crisis. Often they pay themselves last, after they pay their staff and their suppliers. They struggle to get finance, and profit is normally more theory than lived. This government assumes they all have human resources departments, tax departments, and legal and industrial relations departments. It doesn't understand they're normally sole operators or have a small number of staff that they can employ. They don't want a handout from government. They just want a fair go. What they need is a champion. They need a movement to stand up and speak out for them. But from this government, they're not getting it. Small-business people have a right to earn an honest living without being strangled by Canberra, because it's simply about having profitability.”
“Nearly two million small businesses operate in Australia, often forgoing the safety of a salary for the opportunity for economic progress to back them and their families and to create economic opportunity for others. Most small-business people are just Aussies backing themselves. They're the engine room of the economy. They're also the creators of employment. Small-business people are often the people who give the next generation their first job in the community. They didn't wait for permission; they're just living out the full aspect of commercial hope. They are the best of what we should want for our country, but they live a brutal reality. Last year 14,000 small businesses collapsed—record insolvencies. They're facing higher costs and regulation. State taxes like land tax and payroll tax are crippling them.”
“I move: That this House: (1) notes that small and family business insolvencies have exploded since the election of the Government, as its policies crush confidence and drive businesses to close; (2) recognises that: (a) the Government's industrial relations changes have replaced flexibility and fairness with confusion and compliance; (b) the Government's energy policies have driven up power bills for shops, cafes, workshops and family enterprises; and (c) small and family business are being forced to work longer hours for less return, while competing against government-subsidised sectors and ever increasing compliance costs; (3) further notes that the voices of small and family businesses have been drowned out by union and big-corporate interests within the Government's decision making; (4) condemns the Government for abandoning small and family businesses by: (a) ignoring calls for tax relief and simpler regulation; (b) pursuing workplace laws that punish entrepreneurship and flexibility; and (c) failing to provide a clear pathway for small businesses to grow and employ more Australians; and (5) affirms that the Opposition stands with small and family businesses who back themselves, create jobs and keep communities strong.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, I refer to warnings in the recent Australian Energy Council report in which a CEO of an energy company said, 'Bills will increase for the next decade.' Prime Minister, why is the part-time energy minister, full-time president, more concerned with the next decade of COP negotiations than he is with the next decade of power bills for Australian households and businesses?”
“From whistleblowers through to the Nine press and of course 60 Minutes , people have been saying explicitly that the problems of CFMEU corruption are now worse, 15 months on, than they were beforehand. This is a scandal and a disgrace. When we have asked basic questions in this parliament we have gotten no answers. Yesterday the Prime Minister shut down question time rather than have a question asked of him about CFMEU corruption. And it looks like the Leader of the House is going to do exactly the same thing right now.”
“But, once they did—once they accepted that they had become the enabler of corruption across Australian building sites, construction sites and public projects—they were shamed and embarrassed by the media into eventually taking action. What was that action? They appointed administration designed to break the back of the corrupt culture that sits at the heart of the CFMEU. Well, 15 months later, we now have a report card from whistleblowers. It's not the opinion of the opposition. It's certainly not the opinion of the government, who have the view to see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil in the context of CFMEU corruption—and they certainly don't want to hear about CFMEU corruption.”
“Organised crime, criminal gangs and bikie gangs were infiltrating public projects and receiving cartel kickbacks that were going into the hands of those organised groups. They were being paid for by taxpayers. They were being paid for by mums and dads. They were being paid for by first home buyers, through the increased costs of housing, and by taxpayers and through debt, inflation and the high interest rates that Australians are experiencing right now. It led the Labor Party to, after letting the CFMEU off the leash, eventually accept administration. It should never have come to this in the first place. The Labor Party should never have abolished the Australian Building and Construction Commission and removed the leash on the CFMEU to allow the corruption that has pervaded across the Australian community.”
“I know the government is going to do everything it has tried to do at every single point throughout the past two weeks to shut down a conversation about the corruption within the CFMEU and its direct connection back to this government. More important than that is we have a minister who is running interference and simply does not want to have accountability in the context of administration oversight. So we are proud to stand up right now and speak out about the challenging problems of CFMEU corruption in Australia. We know the reality that is being faced. Fifteen months ago the CFMEU was put under administration by this government because there were systemic issues of corruption, including those revealed on television programs like 60 Minutes .”
“Sometimes we have a difference of opinion about what that is, but, if it is to be a nation that is secure, a nation that has the capacity to stand up for itself and its confidence, a nation that can help support other countries and secure their sovereignty and rights to maintain free and independent in our region, and one that is able to provide the economic opportunity for future generations of Australia, that is something we should be immensely proud to fight for. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time. Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.”
“For the extraction of gas, you need to build a baseload potential for the future with renewables as part of that conversation both at a household level and sometimes an industrial level as well, because our interest must be how are we're going to build the strength of our great country and its future. We can then go on and create the well-paying jobs so Australians can get the incomes they need to then buy the homes they need to support themselves and their families, and put them in a financial position to retire with security. Some of us will never stop fighting for the future of this country. Deputy Speaker Boyce, I know you are one and I know there are other members in this chamber who will always fight for the future of the country.”
“Off the back of things like the AUKUS submarine project, there is a natural, logical conclusion that we should be investing in a civilian nuclear program to build out the capacity for Australia's clean industrial growth. Unfortunately, that falls on deaf ears from the ideologues in the Labor Party who simply oppose nuclear at all costs. But we will all pay a very heavy price through the government's mad pursuit of looking only ever through the lens of renewables rather than taking a rational, informed energy mix approach which recognises the critical role of existing technologies and the decommissioning of them over time. The state governments say one thing and do the complete opposite. They talk renewables then they underwrite secret contracts between the New South Wales and Victorian governments and coal generators.”
“Monash University is looking at companies like Rolls Royce, who, of course, provide things like nuclear technology and propulsion technology to be part of submarines that could also be used for other purposes, including civil nuclear power as well. But one of the frustrations is they are not getting the clear signals from this government or at a state level to deliver the technology that Australians desperately need. This legislation does provide a very clear signal to the marketplace and to companies like Rolls Royce about how they can be part of the solution and build up the technology to build out Australia's defence capacity. They also have a place to build out our civilian capacity as well.”
“There should be a very active interest from this parliament because it goes to the core of the role of this nation, its government and how it will be a partner with foreign nations. Additionally, it is a pathway to support and grow industries in different parts of our nation, with Geelong being one of them, South Australia being another, and other parts of the country, particularly Western Australia, being part beneficiaries of them too. We have to harness that potential so we are building up our capacity, not just our defence capacity but our skills capacity, and take that through to improving overall capacity to build that industrial development. It reminds me of only the other day when I was at Monash University, my alma mater.”
“But we know, from the actions of foreign governments and nonstate actors that we are seeing an increasing level of grey zone activity, often through things like cybersecurity threats and attacks on other essential infrastructure, that the era of complacency we have enjoyed must come to an end. Part of that is understanding how we are going to work with our allies to project our capacity if required in the event of conflict and, more importantly, making sure we have the security of the technology we are going to need to do so. That obviously is where the AUKUS regime comes in, not just around the role of submarines but also the potential for partnerships and foreign technologies we can build into the capacity of the ADF. We should not be complacent about this issue.”
“It doesn't matter what government is in office, we never, as part of a trade-off of the priorities of the Commonwealth, want to overspend on security, because every dollar has to come from taxpayers, but we do need to make sure that we achieve the first objective of the Commonwealth, which is to defend the Australian homeland, this continent and our territories so that we can be safe and secure and, more importantly, help and support other countries in our region and, in particular, with our beneficence and our standing, be able to support and secure their sovereignty as well. That's why having different technologies is going to be so important in meeting the challenges of the 21st century and the potential for kinetic war. Of course, we never want that to happen.”
“But, when it comes down to it, this bill is about something far bigger. It's about the enabling legislation for what is going to be required if we're going to defend ourselves in the 21st century. In the period after the Cold War, this nation has progressively relaxed its security premium and taken a false sense of complacency about the challenges it faces. We're a nation that is facing the most challenging environment since the Second World War—that is the view of the white paper of the Department of Defence—and we're acutely aware of the fact that we're exposed to many fronts as a consequence of relaxing our approach to security.”
“This legislation is, on one level, not necessarily legislation that will change the universe. The flip side is that it's still an important part of the implementation regime associated with the AUKUS submarines project, and it remains an important part of that architecture, because Australia needs to be a trusted partner when working with other nations, particularly when we're sharing different pieces of technology, to ensure that we're a partner trusted to be able to build the sorts of technology we need to defend the future of this country. Of course, the Geelong treaty implementation simply provides a pathway for the governments of the United Kingdom, Great Britain and Northern Ireland to be able to cooperate as part of the nuclear-powered submarine partnership collaboration with the Commonwealth of Australia.”