Radio Interview, Mix 104.9 Darwin

SUBJECT/S: 83^rd Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin; Investing in Australia’s Northern Bases; Defence Force Personnel in the NT; Interest Rate Cut; Cost of Living; Federal Election.

KATIE WOOLF, HOST: We're going to get straight into it because we have got such a busy morning lined up for you today. And we do know that today is indeed the day when Territorians are going to pause to commemorate the 83rd anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin. On February 19, 1942 mainland Australia came under attack for the first time. A service is this morning going to be held at the Cenotaph. And joining me on the line as he makes his way to that service is the Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles. Good morning to you Deputy Prime Minister. 

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

WOOLF: Yeah, not too bad. Thank you so much for your time this morning. Now, Deputy Prime Minister, we know that today is an important day not just for Darwin, but for the whole of Australia. It is also a stark reminder of the fact that war can indeed reach our shores, isn’t it?

MARLES: It is, and, you know, today is a very solemn day. I mean, this is the commemoration of the day that the Second World War came to Australia. Indeed, it's the day when all war came to Australia in that sense. And you know, it was a very significant loss of life. More than 250 people lost their lives on that day. Eight ships were sunk. It was a very significant battle in which more bombs were dropped on Darwin than were dropped on Pearl Harbor. And I think one of the– to pick up your point, one of the stark reminders as we make this commemoration today is the significance of Darwin. I mean, the Bombing of Darwin happened back in 1942 because America knew how significant Darwin was, and they had a whole lot of ships here. But Japan knew how significant Darwin was, and they wanted to deny it as a base for support as they were contemplating an invasion of Java. As we look today, you know, Darwin remains deeply embedded in Australia's strategic heart. It's why Darwin today is really one of the great garrison cities of our nation, the proud home of the US Marine Rotational Force–Darwin. And so I think the strategic significance of this place is something that echoes across the ages from 1942 right through to the present. And it does remind us about the need to continually invest in Darwin to make sure that it can be the wonderful national asset for our nation that it is.

WOOLF: It really needs to be, right? Like, we know that we are so strategically important. We know though that we are vulnerable, I guess, in some ways. Now talk us through, I understand that you are making an announcement today about a new weapons training simulator at Robertson Barracks. What exactly is this going to mean for the Northern Territory?

MARLES: Well, it's another example of an investment in our northern bases. This training facility greatly increases the capability of Robertson Barracks and allows a whole lot of training to occur there that up until this moment in time couldn't. And so it is a significant capability, one which we've not had at Robertson before. But I think the way to see this is in the context of the overall investment that we're making across our northern bases in the whole of Northern Australia, but particularly here in the Territory. If you look at Tindal in Katherine, at RAAF Base Darwin at the airport, at Coonawarra and Larrakeyah, at Robertson itself, it is billions of dollars of investment; be it a new wharf at Coonawarra, be it upgrades to the runway at RAAF Base Darwin and RAAF Base Tindal, new accommodation at Robertson, and this new training facility now, Robertson Barracks. All of this is a significant investment in the north. We will see more personnel based in the north. I think you will see a growing American footprint, in terms of the Marines in Darwin. This is good news for the Territory. It's great in terms of investment and there are real opportunities for Territory businesses and Darwin businesses. But it is, to your broader point, it really does actually speak to the significance of how much this place matters. This is our connection to the world beyond Australia, and we are located closer to the geographic centre of our national security here in Darwin than perhaps any other place on the continent.

WOOLF: Deputy Prime Minister, we, of course, here in the Northern Territory know how important this place is. We all love living here. But we do seem to have a bit of an issue at the moment trying to keep Defence families in Darwin. And I think part of that are the issues that we've seen around crime, and law and order over recent years. But is there something specific that is happening to try to keep Defence families, or to indeed post Defence families to Darwin and keep them here?

MARLES: Yeah, look, it's a really good question. So, I think at the highest level, we have tried to make clear and have made clear throughout the Department of Defence and the ADF, at a strategic level, we must see Darwin as a national asset. It matters that it's here for all the reasons we've talked about. And therefore we have to invest in it. I think where you go to from there is that it's really important that we are encouraging Defence families to see Darwin as a place where they can move and make their home and so, you know, just to fundamentally speak more positively about the opportunities, the wonderful opportunities that there are here in Darwin. But at a more practical level, we are investing significantly in housing. Those sort of nuts and bolts issues obviously matter to any family making a decision whether to come here. Since 2022, we spent the better part of half a billion dollars on improving our housing stock here, Defence housing stock here in the Northern Territory. That's both a combination of new houses and refurbishing older houses. That does make a difference. And I think that's an example of the kind of practical steps that we need to take to kind of make real the encouragement that we give to Defence families to come and stay here. But I come back to the fundamental point, we must see Darwin as an asset, we do see Darwin as a national asset and that means we have to invest in it. We are doing that by having more of a footprint of the Australian Defence Force here, which is already large but growing, and also encouraging a greater footprint from America. And of course, last November we announced that members of the Japanese Self-Defense Force would do training here as well.

WOOLF: Now, Deputy Prime Minister, I do want to ask you, obviously yesterday we got some good news finally, with the much needed rate cut. The Reserve Bank of Australia lowering interest rates by 0.25 per cent for the first time since 2020. It is good news. This is a helpful step. But it really doesn't do enough to lower the cost living for Australians, does it?

MARLES: Well, look, I mean yesterday was obviously a relief, but we get that there's a long way to go and we also understand how difficult it has been for people across the country. I mean, what we're experiencing in Australia is being experienced across the developed world, a high inflationary environment in the aftermath of the pandemic and also the war in Ukraine. I mean, when we came to office, inflation was running at 6.1 per cent. We've really worked hard to get that down, two budget surpluses, which in turn has released the country from tens of billions of dollars of Liberal debt. And that in turn has put a downward pressure on inflation, which has allowed the decision to be made. But you know, all of our focus is on cost of living measures. It's why we provided a tax cut to every income earner last year. Energy bill relief, more affordable childcare, cheaper medicines, and I could go on. The focus of our government, really, since coming to power has been cost of living. And there is a long– you know, we've got further to go. But I think what yesterday does provide is light at the end of the tunnel.

WOOLF: Well, it does to some degree. But I think for those of us living in more regional parts of Australia, like Darwin, you know, Alice Springs, Mount Isa, Far North Queensland, wherever you want to go, there's an added element when it comes to cost of living because we are all here, we're all doing our bit and working hard. But when you try to fly anywhere else in the country, you know, when you're trying to sort of head interstate, it is enormously expensive to be able to go back and visit your family. Is there anything sort of happening from the Federal Government's perspective in terms of trying to lower the cost of flights or do more for regional Australians in this space?

MARLES: Well, I mean, I totally accept that point. I mean, there are added costs associated with essentially transport of people and goods that flow through to those who are living in regional Australia. I mean, I think it puts into starker relief the need for governments to be focused on cost of living relief. And as I say, that's what we've been doing. And we are in lots of ways thinking about how we can do more in terms of regional connection with aviation. Obviously, we've seen what's happened with Rex Airlines. We were certainly not about to let those places which were serviced by that airline be left behind. Now, I hasten to say we've really done all of that in the face of opposition from Peter Dutton and the Liberals. I mean– 

WOOLF: Well– 

MARLES: But it is important to understand that– 

WOOLF: Could there be some change, though, could there be some changes to things like cabotage? Could there be some incentives or some things done a bit differently for regional Australia?

MARLES: Well, I think it is really important that we are doing everything we can to maintain the connection between regional Australia, and where goods are coming from, and where people are seeking to travel to. And we are looking at all of those. But everything we do in respect of cost of living in urban Australia flows through to regional Australia as well. And every step we have taken seeks to make cost of living front and centre in what we are, what we are trying to achieve.

WOOLF: There is no doubt cost of living is going to be a major election issue. Very quickly, I know you're trying to get out of the car to get to the Bombing of Darwin commemorations. I mean, when is this election going to be called? And are you concerned about the recent polling that is showing that Labor's on the nose with some voters?

MARLES: Well, look, I think the only person who knows the date is the Prime Minister. And I suspect were I to have a punt at what that might be on your program today that would be a career limiting move, so I'm not going to attempt to do that. Look, we are focused on telling our story and, you know, we've been very focused on cost of living issues as I've said. We are looking forward to the opportunity of telling that story in the lead up to the next election. And then it will be a matter for the Australian public.

WOOLF: Alright, Deputy Prime Minister, we'll let you go. I know you've got a busy morning ahead. Thanks so much for your time this morning.

MARLES: Thanks, Katie.

ENDS