Television Interview, Sky News

SUBJECTS: Defence Workforce Plan; Defence Estate; Support for Ukraine.

KENNY HEATLEY, HOST: The Albanese Government will spend a further $600 million in an attempt to retain the Defence workforce. The Federal Government is offering $40,000 bonuses to personnel who sign on for another three years. Joining me live is Veterans’ Affairs Minister Matt Keogh. Matt, thanks for your time this morning. Thank you. So, $600 million extra to try to get Defence personnel to stay longer, but at the same time the downgrading of the Government's ambitious recruitment targets. So, why have you done this?

MINISTER FOR VETERANS’ AFFAIRS AND DEFENCE PERSONNEL, MATT KEOGH: So, the $600 million investment on extending the continuation bonus that we've already been trialling since last year, which has proven to be very successful, and so keeping that in place for personnel that have finished their initial service obligation to have them sign on for another three years, but also expanding it to pick up people that have been in service for around that seven to nine year mark, the middle ranks where we have seen historically a bit of hollowing out, allowing them to sign on for a further three years so that they can receive the bonus as well. This is about retaining people in the Defence Force, but it's about retaining them for longer. That's very important. As well as the recruitment efforts that we are undertaking. We've got to see the average service length increase from around seven years to an average of 12. So, these are important contributions to that as well as expanding the operational reserves by 1000 personnel to 2030. But what we've done with the workforce numbers is take an actual evidence based, realistic approach. What we'd seen by the previous Government, desperate for a media release as always, but never with any funding or with the necessary work. They made an announcement about workforce figures, but there was nothing standing behind it. What we have done with the Defence Strategic Review, followed by the National Defence Strategy and the updating of the Investment Plan around what are the capabilities we actually need for Australia. And we've laid that out earlier this year. And this Workforce Plan matches our personnel numbers to the actual capability. So, where we have set out things like the Surface Combatant Ship Building Plan and what we will be acquiring in terms of naval capability and other capabilities, we've analysed what's the Defence workforce requirement that's actually required for those and that's what this plan is about delivering on.

HEATLEY: Ok, Minister. Plans for a major sale of properties from the Federal Government's Defence real estate portfolio to make way for housing has been shelved until after the election next year. Is this to avoid backlash over the disposal of prime military sites to turn them into apartments in the lead up to the election?

MINISTER KEOGH: So, again, we did the Defence Strategic Review when we came into Government. That was very important. One of the things that the review called for was a review of the Defence Estate, something that had not been done for a very long time. We've received that review, but in terms of being able to move forward on that, there's still a lot of work that has to happen. It's got to be aligned to things like our Workforce Plan that we've just announced today, the National Defence Strategy. There's a lot to work through in terms of how does it affect our people. So, now that we've got the Defence Estate Review, a very important, if you like, foundational document coming out of the Defence Strategic Review, we are now working through the implications of that, how you would actually bring that to bear. And that takes some time. We've got to do this work properly and so that will be something that we'll come forward with next year.

HEATLEY: Okay. Australia will send 14 rigid hull boats to help Ukraine to bolster maritime and coastal Defences in its war against Russia at a total cost of $14 million. Was this at the request of Ukraine and did its navy indicate to Australia that they needed these type of boats?

MINISTER KEOGH: Certainly all of the military equipment and support that we've provided to Ukraine are because they have requested that type of assistance. And we've worked with our partners to make sure that Ukraine is provided with the sorts of equipment that it needs. And I'm sure everyone's seen the reporting of the way in which the conflict in Ukraine has involved maritime operations as well. And so providing them with these vessels is a very important way of supporting them in their time of need with the Russian invasion.

HEATLEY: Ok, so are we expecting any more aid to head to Ukraine in the lead up to the election?

MINISTER KEOGH: This has been a long running conflict, certainly longer than anyone would have liked to see it continue on. And over that time, we have received a number of different requests from Ukraine, as have our partners, and we have sought to meet those needs where we can and where we are able. And so we're in a constant dialogue with the Ukrainian Government about what their needs may be. And we seek to engage with them and our partners to make sure they get the support that they require in, you know, to fight back against this illegal invasion by Russia. And so that's an ongoing conversation. And as we pursue, you know, as we work through those conversations with Ukraine, we will announce further things if that is appropriate at that time.

HEATLEY: Minister Matt Keogh, appreciate it. Thank you. 

ENDS