COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
SPEECH BY
Rt. Hon. SIR ROBERT MENZIES,
ON
DEFENCE REVIEW
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT CAMBERRA
[ From the " Parliomentary Debates," 10th November, 1964] LIBRARY
4-~
Sir ROBERT MENZIES { Kooyong-
Prime Minister).-by leave-For some
months the Department of Defence and the
Service and Supply Departments, in close
collaboration with the Chiefs of Staff Committee,
have been making a complete reassessment
of our defence needs and programme.
Their labours have been conducted
against the background of affairs overseas,
and particularly in and around South East
Asia. The Government has exhaustively
studied the reports placed before it, and
has consulted closely with its professional
military advisers. In the result, we have
formed certain views about our strategic
0 position and about our defence requirements
which I will now proceed to state as clearly
as I can.
I refer, first, to our strategic position.
This requires an examination of our position
in relation to our neighbours. and our
international associates. Since the Second
World War and increasingly in the last
decade, the struggle against aggressive
Communism coupled with other developments
in Asia has forced us to recognise
that we are in a new situation. General or
14661/ 64. global war-that is, unrestricted conflict
between the major world powers-has
receded in probability because of the
deterrent effect of nuclear weapons, and we
continue to believe that it is unlikely except
as a result of miscalculation. But armed
conflicts short of general war could develop
at any time in areas of tension throughout
the world. Communist powers will continue
to press their aims through all the varied
cold war techniques of subversion and
insurgency and other threats to the
integrity of States which they wish to bring
under their domination.
At present, important questions arise
which require frank answers. They will, I
regret to say, indicate that there has been
a deterioration in our strategic position since
the review which I presented to Parliament
last year. The range of likely military
situations we must be prepared to face has
increased as a result of recent Indonesian
policies and actions and the growth of
Communist influence and armed activity in
Laos and South Vietnam. If these countries
collapsed, there would be a grave threat
to Thailand and the whole of South East
Asia would be put at risk. The effectiveness
of the South East Asia Treaty Organisation
as a guarantee of mutual security would
be seriously jeopardised.
In particular, in South Vietnam the continued
instability of government has made
the task of resistance more difficult and to
some extent frustrates the massive efforts of
the United States and our own necessarily
small contributions. The aggressive attitude
of North Vietnam towards South Vietnam
is demonstrated by continued political and
ideological support given to the military
insurgents, and the infiltration of thousands
of trained men. There was the Tonkin
Gulf attack on United States warships;
Communist China has ignored the Nuclear
Test Ban Treaty. These are sinister and
significant developments.
In Malaysia, to which we have given the
specific assurances which I announced in
this House, Australian troops have for the
first time been in combat with Indonesian
forces. True, in international opinion,
Malaysia has been strengthened by the vote
in the Security Council, the meeting of the
Commonwealth Prime Ministers in London,
and the relative failure of President Sukarno
to gather support at the Cairo conference
of unaligned nations. But, though it is now
clear that, for all practical purposes, no
impartial person doubts that Indonesia is
carrying on active and entirely unjustified
armed aggression against her neighbour,
the fact is that Indonesia still goes on her
unlawful way, seeking to undermine
Malaysian morale, to cause the disintegration
of Malaysia, and no doubt to dominate
the Borneo territories if and when they can
be detached from Malaysia.
If Indonesian attacks continue, Malaysia
may find it intolerable to confine defensive
measures to the guarding of Malaysia's
shores and jungles against Indonesian intrusion.
These Indonesian attacks may create
a real risk of war, a war so hopelessly unprofitable
to Indonesia that it is hard to
understand how any leader concerned with
the well-being of the ordinary men and
women of his countr-y could seriously be
prepared to provoke it. Indeed we must
prepare for all eventualities including the
c ontrol and, if necessary, defence of the
frontier between West New Guinea and the
Territory of Papua and New Guinea. Meanwhile,
by his cultivation of the Communist Powers, President Sukarno is exercising an
influence in South East Asia which could
weaken resistance to Communism.
It must be conceded, therefore, that the
risks of our situation in this corner of the
world have increased. This does not mean
that we suffer from fatalism or defeatism;
there is not the slightest occasion for either.
But it does mean that we must do more, and
pay more, as our contribution to our
national security. This is, of course, to be
done having in mind, and indeed never
forgetting, that in the South West Pacific
Australia and New Zeal-and have allies, including
Great Britain and the United States,
who are rich in power and goodwill. Without
them, Australia's task in defending so
vast a territory with so few people would
be a fearful one.
But Australian defence cannot be considered
in isolation, any more than the forces
we possess should be regarded as garrison
forces. Placed as we are, our defence, if
it is to be successful, must be beyond our
shores, and in depth. Hence and
A. N. Z. U. S. We are in S. E. A. T. O. not only
because we have a goodwill towards the
nations concerned and would wish to help
to protect them against Communist aggression,
but also because the further Cornmunist
powers are kept away from us, the
more secure we will feel. Thus, in
S. E. A. T. O. a high common interest is rendered
stronger, not weaker, by the
individual national interest each of us has.
Again, we are with Malaysia for several
good reasons. Malaysia is a well governed
and friendly Commonwealth country, and
as such is entitled to our support. Malaysia
is a non-Communist nation, and is willing
at all times to resist the Reds; it is monstrous
that she should be the subject of
unprovoked aggression from the south. But
again, we in Australia also want Malaysia
preserved because we want the Communist
powers as far away as possible. It should
not be forgotten that one of the aims of
what Indonesia calls its " confrontation" of
Malaysia is the removal of the Commonwealth
presence, including the bases. We
are advised that so long as the bases are
available and Commonwealth forces support
Malaysia, there is little prospect of a defeat
of Malaysia by Indonesian military action.
In short, Malaysia and Australia have a
common interest and an individual interest,
and they coincide.
In the same way, it is tremendously
important for us that Indonesia should not
become Communist, but retain its independence
under a Government serving only
the good of the Indonesian people. It is very
much to be feared that if Indonesia provoked
a war, the only people in Indonesia
who would get advantage from it would be
the Communists, ever ready to thrive on
disorder and defeat. Thus, Indonesia and
Australia have vital interests in common.
The recent actions of the Indonesian
Government are therefore all the more
deplorable. It is a misfortune to have to
join in a defence of Malaysia against a
nation with which we have no other quarrel,
and so much in common. Yet it is a misfortune
which we must be prepared to face,
to the utmost of our power.
Now, this has been a brief account of
some of the developments which have led us
to the conclusion that there has been, since
my revierw of 1963, a deterioration in our
strategic position. What new defence provision
should be made, in the light of this
conclusion? True, we are not and cannot be
the sole guarantors of our defence. But
we must be able to say with truth that we
are making a contribution to it which is
commensurate with our capacity and our
national self-respect.
The 1963 review itself added very considerably
to the defence programmes and
votes. Since then, substantial additions have
been made. It will be of interest if I
remind the House that until very recent
years our defence vote was, and had been
for some time, of the order of œ 200 million
a year. The order of financial magnitude
involved in our present revierw can be briefly
stated at this stage. The review of May 1963
Y raised -the programme for 1965-6, 1966-7
and 1967-8 by about œ 40 million a year to
a total of œ 816 million. In other words
before that review only 18 months ago the
total figure for these years had been of
the order of the œ 700 million and it was
raised to œ 816 million. This present review
Taises that total to œ 1,220 million, that is,
a further increase of œ 404 million. I will
return to the figures before I conclude.
I now turn to the concrete decisions
which have led to these financial conclusions.
Because of the central importance
of manpower to the whole of our defence
preparations I shall deal first with this
question. 3 At present the regular forces number just
over 52,000 including 22,750 in the Regular
Army, 16,600 in the Air Force and 12,900
in the Navy. In addition, there are approximately
1,000 Pacific Islanders in the Pacific
Islands Regiment. In the Citizen Military
Forces we have 27,630; in the Citizen
Naval Forces 5,115; and in the Citizen Air
Forces 868.
Over the programme period to mid-1968
the Navy and Air Force will require a considerable
increase in manpower to correspond
with the planned expansion of these
forces including the progressive introduction
of new equipment. By June 1968, the Navy
will have a requirement for approximately
16,700 and the Air Force for 21,000 men.
The Government and its naval and Air
Force advisers are confident that a satisfactory
progressive build up of manpower
towards these levels can be achieved by
existing means of recruitment.
The question of Army manpower is more
difficult. The numbers are larger; the whole
strength and organisation of the Army are
involved. We have given close attention
to this problem which has before
now given rise to great controversy.
After an examination of all the factors,
and in full consultation with our
military advisers, we have reached the conclusion
that the Regular Army should be
built up as rapidly as possible from the
present 22,750 to an effective strength of
33,000 men, which means a total force of
37,500. A peace-time Army of this size
would be adequate to meet our immediately
foreseeable operational requirements and
form a basis for rapid expansion in war.
The training effort required to achieve
any reasonably quick build up of a much
larger Army than the one we now contemplate
would be such that the Regular
Army would cease to be an effective fighting
force and become for some considerable
time simply a training organisation. This has
been one of the limiting factors in this. Let
me remind honorable members that we have
through successive programmes built up the
capacity of the Regular Army as an effective
and readily available fighting force, and it
is essential in present circumstances that this
capacity and quality be retained to the greatest
possible extent.
The Government has given the most
careful consideration to the means by which
the Army's manpower requirements may be
achieved. It seems clear, on our military
advice and our own carefully formed judgment,
that we cannot expect by voluntary
means to achieve a build up in the Army's
strength of the order we require and to the
timing which is necessary. We are living'in
a period of unsurpassed prosperity and more
than full employment; the attractions of
civilian employment are very great indeed.
The Government has therefore decided
that there is no alternative to the introduction
of selective compulsory service. We
know that this presents difficult personal,
social, economic, and perhaps political
problems. Our decision has been taken only
because of the paramount needs of defence
and, in the difficult circumstances I have
described, the preservation of our security.
May I return at this point to the observations
I made earlier in reference to the
demands of our deteriorating strategic
situation? We expect a continuing requirement
to make forces available for cold war
and anti-insurgency tasks. We must have
forces ready as an immediate contribution
should wider hostilities occur. We must at
all times retain adequate forces against any
more direct threat which might develop to
our. own security. Because of our geographic
position we have the most compelling
reasons to take those steps which will
put us in a position to meet these various
demands. The necessary units cannot be
provided with a lesser effective strength than
33,000, yet this number cannot in present
circumstances and in proper time be
obtained by voluntary means.
It follows also that, to enable the Regular
Army to achieve the required degree of
operational readiness, selective servicemen
must serve in regular units on a full time
basis. If the scheme is to be effective, those
called up must therefore be under an obligation
to serve overseas as necessary and must
be available to go with the regular unit in
which they are serving.
In assessing the length, of service
required, an average of six months must
be allowed for recruit and corps training.
Provision must also be made for leave,
movement and acclimatisation should the
national servicemen be sent to an overseas
theatre. In order to permit a period of at
least twelve months effective service in a
unit a total period of two years full-time duty * is required And this will be the basis
of the Government's scheme. This will be
followed by a period of three years on the
Reserve. Briefly, we have decided that young men
will -be required to register in the calendar
year in which they reach the age of
years. The first actual call-up will take place
about the -middle of next year. During the
second half of 1965 a total of about 4,200
will ' be required. Thereafter there Will be
annual call-ups of about 6,900. This will,
by December 1966, give an Army of a
total strength of about 37,500-this is the
Regular Army-which will mean an
effective force of 33,000. Detailed consideration
is being given to the conditions
of service and the question of exemptions
and deferments to meert particular circumstances.
Civil ' employment rights of -those
called up will ' be appropriately protected.
I hasten to say that the introduction of
selective compulsory service does not in any
way detract -from the importance of
volunteers for the Regular Army, the
Emergency Reserve or the Citizen Military
Forces. On the contrary, we would wish
the volunteer spirit, which has meant so
much to Australia in the past, to continue.
Both the Government and the net-ion would
urge that as high a percentage as possible
of those in our armed services should be
those who, of their own choice, and in the
spirit of a great natio ' nal tradition, have
joined one or other of those Services.
Mr. Clyde Camneron.-I know one who
dodged it in 1914.
Sir ROBERT MENZ~ IES.-You do not.
You must not repeat other people's lies.
Mr. Clyde Cajneron.-Well, 1915.
Sir ROBERT MENZIES.-That is a very
bad habit, Clyde, and I advise you against
it. Indeed, so far as the Regular Army is
concerned, volunteers will continue to be of
fundamental importance to the effectiveness
of the force. Volunteers on longer terms of
engagement will reach the highest standards
of training and will give greater flexibility
in the organisation and deployment of our
forces. A selective service scheme does not
give sufficient time to train ' highly qualified
specialists and technicians and we must
continue to look to volunteers to provide
these. The Government has . already
reviewed and improved conditions of service
to make a career in the Permanent Forces
as attractive as possible. With this in mind
and in the light of the strategic situation
which I have outlined, we would ask the
young men and women of Australia to consider
carefully a permanent career in the
armed forces.
The new Emergency Reserve, for which
enrolment will be commencing almost
immediately, will provide a ready means of
supplementing -field force units, increasing
our cold war military capability and providing
reinforcements in the initial stages of
hostilities. It -has a most important place in
the full concept of our defence forces. The
role of the Citizen Military Forces-to provide
in war or defence emergency the
follow-up forces and the expansion of our
military effort-remains unchanged, and
indeed assumes even greater importance
following the passage of the legislation to
make these forces available in a defence
emergency. I seek the co-operation not only
of our young men, but also of their employers
and others to ensure that the Citizen
Military Forces target of 35,000 is
achieved over the period of the new defence
programme. The detailed organisation of the Army
will ' be further reviewed to provide for an
expansion in the field force with particular
emphasis on a substantial increase in the
combat element and high priority logistic
units. Two additional battalions will be
raised making a total of six including the
two battalions in our first two battle
groups and the battalion already deployed
in Malaysia. In addition, the organisation
will provide adequate backing, not only to
. j maintain and support the expanded field
force, C. M. F. and cadets, but also to provide
a sound basis for further expansion
and mobilisation.
There is, for a variety of good reasons,
some concentration of military provision
and organisation in the south-eastern areas
of the continent. We feel, however, that,
in the overall interests of rapid mobility,
this should not be carried too far. We have,
therefore, af ter careful consideration,
decided that a new battle group will be
established in north Queensland, probably
in the Townsville area. The Special Air
Service Regiment already established at
Perth will be more than doubled in size to provide a head-quarters squadron and four
squadrons. The Government has decided on
a substantial change in the organisation of
the Citizen Military Forces designed to
create additional battalions, give greater
flexibility and increased opportunities for
service, particularly in country areas. The
target strength for the cadets is being increased
from 40,000 to 45,000.
In the 1963 defence review, I announced
that it was intended to double as soon as
possible the strength of the Pacific Islands
Regiment, which at that time was of the
order of 700, and I also indicated that
further developments in relation to the
force were under consideration. Recruitment
to the P. I. R. has increased steadily, and the
target strength we envisaged in our previous
plans will be attained earlier than we had
expected. In the present strategic situation
the Government continues to
attach high priority to the strengthening
of the P. I. R. The detailed investigations
have now been completed,
and the Government will proceed with
the plan ' to increase the force to three
battalions and supporting units with a total
strength approaching 3,500 by June 1968.
Tenders closing on 30th November this year
have been called for necessary Army works
for Papua and New Guinea which could
cost about œ 12 million. An honorable member
opposite asked me today whether there
was any difficulty about this, having regard
to the fact that it was a Trust Territory.
Part of the answer is that there is not.
These include additional barrack buildings,
workshops and engineering services, and
housing for native married members of the
force. The -provision of equipment for the Army
must match the improvements in the strength
and availability of units. In the defence
review of May 1963, expenditure on Army
equipment was raised from the rate of
million Per annumn to the much higher level
of œ 17.5 million.
. In the light of the deterioration of our
strategic Position there is a need to aocelerate
the rate of progress towa~ rds achievemenit
of the approved objective of providing
modern equipment for one division. Provision
is also required for the expanded forces
in Papua and New Guinea. Provision must
be made for the replacement of out-moded.
equipment as new items become available
from research and development for introduction
into service. Sufficient additional
equipment must be provided to ensure that
C. M. F. training is realistic and effective.
For all these purposes, and in line with
the expansion in other elements of our
defence preparations, the Government has
approved a major acceleration in Army
equipment purchases. Expenditure will be
increased to œ 20 million in 1965-66-the
first year of the new defence programme
o œ 25 million in the following year, and
to œ 30 million in 1967-68. The equipment
to be purchased will include the whole range
of moder conventional weapons, ammunition,
vehicles, light aircraft, engineering and
signals stores and so on. Items of new equipment
which the Army is investigating include
low level anti-aircraft weapons, air-portable
armoured fighting vehicles, new artillery
weapons, combat surveillance equipment -and
various other items. Emphasis will continue
to be placed on air-portable equipment and
those items which will improve Army
mobility. The general effect of this approval
is that as the strength of our forces is built
up, the weapons and equipment which they
require, and of the most modern types, will
be available to them. The increase in the
Army strength from under 23,000 to some
37,500 by the end of 1966 means that
accommodation for an additional 15,000
men has to be provided. This is . additional
to the large works, programme for the
Pacific Islands Regiment which I have
already mentioned. This will mean a greatly
increased Army works programme which
will be carried out with the highest priority.
I turn now to our proposals for an expanded
Navy and Air Force as part of an
overall programme for strengthening the
Australian military effort. Before the defence
review undertaken by Cabinet last week,
the Naval programme provided for a Fleet
comprising the following main units: One
aircraft carrier, operating anti-submarine
helicopters and also fixed wing aircraft for
their remaining service life; two Daring
class destroyers: three Charles F. Adams
destroyers-D. D. G.' s; six type-12 frigates;
four Oberon class submarines; six " Ton
class minesweepers; one escort maintenance
ship-being construdted in Australia; one
fast transport; one fleet tanker; and one
Battle class destroyer for use as a training
ship. This programme involved the construction
of ten new ships, including three
Charles F. Adams destroyers which
rank among the world's finest guided
missile ships; four Oberon class submarines;
and two type-12 antisubmarine
frigates and an escort maintenance
ship being constructed in our own
shipyards in Australia. These additions in
themselves would provide a significant increase
in the capability of the R. A. N. to
fulfil its increasing operational commitments.
Careful consideration has been given to
the future of the Fleet Air Arm which is
a complex field of defence and could
involve very large expenditures. H. M. A. S.
" Mellbourne" was converted to the antisubmarine
role with the acquisition of 27
modern Wessex helicopters in 1963, and a
number of Gannet and Sea Venom aircraft
were also retained. A number of possibilities
as to the continued operation of the
Melbourne" have been considered,
having regard to the remaining life of the
ship, the general cost of naval aviation, and
other defence considerations.
The Government has now made two
important decisions-
First, as the Gannet and Sea Venom aircraft
are approaching the end of their service
life and ' becoming difficult and
uneconomical to maintain, it has been
decided to replace these aircraft with 14
S2E Tracker anti-submarine aircraft. This
aircraft, which is in service with the United
States Navy-as members of the House
who visited recently the U. S. S. " Enterprise"
will recall-is a twin piston-engined
aircraft with good endurance and well
equipped for all-weather operations. The
anti-submarine equipment it carries includes
the latest electronic devices, and it also has
the capacity for carrying a good weapon
load. Its inclusion in the Melbourne's"
equipment will improve considerably the
ship's anti-submarine capability. If I
remember accurately, the cost of this item
is about œ 16 million or œ 17 million.
Secondly, the Government has also
approved an extensive modernisation of
the " Melbourne" going much beyond that
approved in the 1963 review. This
modernisation will cost nearly œ 10 million.
The main functions in which modernisation
is required are the operation of antisubmarine
aircraft in all weather by day
and night; long range detection and height
finding radar; improved close range air
defence by mounting Seacat missile systems;
and improved habitability.
Those proposals will add substantially to
the anti-submarine capability of the Royal
Australian Navy. In the 1963 review the
Government authorised modernisation of
our Daring class destroyers directed mainly
towards improving their anti-subm'arine
capability. This plan has been reviewed in
the light of the Navy's tactical requirements
and the needs of our strategic situation.
It has now been decided to modernise
the Darings by providing them with Ikara,
which, as honorable members are already
aware, is a guided anti-submarine weapons
system developed in our own research and
production establishments. The estimated
cost of modernising the two Darings is in
excess of œ 13 million.
With a view to enhancing the Navy's
mobility, a fast fleet replenishment ship with
some provision for the carrying of oil fuel
is to be acquired. It is expected that the
ship will come into commission in 1970.
The question of local construction-which
we would prefer-or purchase from overseas
will be determined at a very early
date. It has -been decided to add two minesweepers
to the present force of six vessels
which were obtained in 1962. The
additional minesweepers will be introduced
into service in 1968.
Concurrently with the planning of the
expansion of the Pacific Islands Regiment,
investigations have been proceeding into the
formation of a coastal security force in
Papua and New Guinea. It has now been
decided that five patrol craft of a type suiti
able for local manning and maintenance
will be obtained. These will contribute substantially
to the general surveillance of the
shores and rivers of the Territory. Nine all
purpose patrol craft to replace vessels in
use by the which are now approaching
the end of their useful life, will also be
obtained. These vessels will be suited for
patrol duties such as those being carried out
at the present moment by our minesweepers
in Borneo waters.
In addition to the above proposals,
Cabinet has approved a wide range of naval
projects designed to support objectives
which have already been approved, including
support facilities for the Charles F. Adams destroyers, a missile firing range,
development of a submarine base and support
facilities and provision for a submarine
rescue vessel, replacement of harbour support
craft and fleet boats, modernisation of
Wessex helicopters, and rehabilitation of
Manus Island oil fuel installations.
In recent defence programmes, the
Government has approved the substantial
re-armament of the fighter and strikereconnaissance
elements of the R. A. A. F.
with modern aircraft of advanced performance.
The order which has been
placed for 100 Mirage supersonic fighter
aircraft will provide for the re-equipment of
the four Sabre fighter squadrons. Deliveries
of these aircraft from local production to
the R. A. A. F. are continuing. The 24 Fl 11A
aircraft which have been ordered from the
United States will add powerfully to the
deterrent and strike capability of the
R. A. A. F. The Government is confident that
the FIl11A aircraft, which is expected to fly
before the end of this year, will amply fulfil
its promise as an outstanding military aircraft.
In this programme the Government has
given particular attention to the transport,
maritime and training requirements of the
R. A. A. F. and to the continued development
of our airfields. The existing squadron of
12 Hercules C130A aircraft with which the
R. A. A. F. was equipped in 1958 has considerably
improved the air strategic mobility
of the Australian forces. The development
of plans associated with our S. E. A. T. O. and
other commitments has, however, shown
clearly that our present air strategic movement
facilities fall short of those required
to meet likely military situations. A study
by our professional military advisers on the
strategic mobility requirements of the Australian
services indicates that in addition to
the aircraft which would be provided from
civil resources, the services require an
additional squadron of medium range transport
aircraft. The aircraft selected to meet
this requirement is the C130E, a greatly
improved version of the C130A at present
in service in the R. A. A. F. For operational
and maintenance purposes these aircraft are
compatible with the C130A. They provide
an increased strategic lift capacity and they
possess the short field characteristics which
enable them to carry out intra-theatre operations
as well as inter-theatre tasks. Approval
has been given to acquire 12 C130E aircraft.
This will mean an increase in the
order of battle of the transport element of
the R. A. A. F. from two to three squadrons.
The existing squadron of Hercules C130A
aircraft will, of course, continue in service,
together with the squadron of Caribou aircraft
which has recently been acquired. The
detachment of Caribou aircraft in South
Vietnam has already given notable service
in operations against the Communist Vietcong.
The maritime element of the Royal Australian
Air Force, working closely with the
carrier " Melbourne" and with the escorts
of the Royal Australian Navy, provides
maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine
protection for our forces. At present there
are two maritime squadrons in the
R. A. A. F. No. 10 Squadron is equipped with
Neptune SP2H aircraft embodying modern
surface and underwater submarine detection
equipment. No. 11 Squadron stationed
at Richmond is, however, equipped with an
older version of the Neptune aircraft, the
P2E, containing submarine detection and
tracking equipment, which is now coming
to the end of its useful operational life. It
is accordingly necessary to re-equip this
squadron so that it will be fully effective
against modern submarines. It has been
decided to re-arm the squadron in 1968
with Lockheed Orion aircraft which have
outstanding performance in the location
and destruction of enemy submarines. The
Orion is the best maritime aircraft available
in the world today. Ten of these aircraft
will be obtained.
The current flying training aircraft in
the R. A. A. F. are the Winjeel in the basic
and the Vampire in the advanced stages.
The introduction of high performance aircraft
of the Mirage and Fl111A types will
require new types of training aircraft and
new techniques in training. In major air
forces operating supersonic aircraft the use
of a jet aircraft from the commencement
of training has proved to be necessary to
achieve . the required standard quickly. The
Government has accordingly approved the
purchase of an all-through jet trainer of
suitable performance to replace the Winjeel
and the Vampire, thereby enabling the
training organisation to advance in parallel
with the re-equipment of operational squadrons. Seventy-five of the new aircraft
will be obtained.
At present navigators and signallers of
the R. A. A. F. are trained in Dakota aircraft
modified in 1952 for this purpose. In a
few more years these aircraft will be
inadequate to train navigators and signallers,
having regard to the latest training
techniques, the type of training equipment
required and the modern operational aircraft
being obtained for the R. A. A. F. The
Government has approved the acquisition
of eight replacement -trainer aircraft of a
suitable type.
Experience gained by the members of the
R. A. A. F. Mirage instructional team in
France, coupled with the experience of
other air forces operating supersonic aircraft,
indicates that a dual mirage aircraft
is necessary ' to provide safe, efficient and
fast conversion of both experienced and
less experienced pilots. The Government
has approved the acquisition of ten dual
Mirage aircraft. These will be additional to
the 100 operational Mirage aircraft already
on order.
I have referred already to the additional
equipment which we are providing to
improve the essential strategic and tactical
mobility of our forces. The continued
development of airfields to permit the rapid
deployment and effective operational use of
our forces -both strategically and tactically is
a complementary measure to which the
Government continues to attach the highest
importance. In earlier years we have carried
out an extensive programme of airfield
works and development in such places as
Darwin, Townsville, Amberley and Williamtown.
The construction of a second airfield
in the Northern Territory at Tindal, which
was approved in the last programme, is
proceeding satisfactorily and will be completed
in 1966. Detailed investigations and
technical planning for the new airfield at
Boram near Wewak in New Guinea have
now been completed and construction will
proceed without delay. This airfield will be
built to standards which will permit its use
by all aircraft now in service or to be
acquired by -the R. A. A. F.
We have now approved ' the further
development of airfields in New Guinea. The
existing airfield at Nadzab will ' be rehabilitated
and extended for ferrying purposes to
standards permitting its use by Mirage and
other aircraft. The airfield at Daru in the
south west of Papua-New Guinea will be
extended and developed and smaller airstrips
between Daru and Boram will be brought
to a higher standard. This will add to the
flexibility of our forces and improve the
effectiveness of the patrols now carried out
by the Pacific Islands Regiment. On the
mainland the existing airfield at Learmonth,
near North West Cape, will be further
developed by the provision of taxiways,
hard standings and other essential services.
Improvements are also to be made to the
airfield at Cocos to increase its capability.
The Government has previously
announced -the acquisition of two new
control and reporting units, one of which
will -be installed at Williamtown and one at
Amberley. Both these equipments will be
mobile. Provision is made in ; the new programme
for the modernisation of the control
and reporting unit already installed at
Darwin. Adequate provision will be made
for new capital construction and modernisation
of existing facilities in. our production
and research establishments so that they
may continue to meet the demands of our
expanded -forces.
A major expansion of the nature which I
have outlined must inevitably bring a substantial
increase in expenditure. Briefly, we
estimate that defence votes in the three
years of the programme will be: 1965-66,
œ 370,000,000; 1966-67, œ E421,700,000; and
1967-68, œ 429,100,000. In our defence review of 22nd May
1963, we contemplated expenditure allotments
as under-1963-64 1964-65 1965-66 1966-67 1967-68
Em Lm LM œ m LMr
Navy 53.3 54.3 63.3 65.2 59.7
Army 77.6 87.5 90.7 94.0 97.2
Air 80.1 84.9 87.9 89.1 82.6
Supply and 26.5 26.7 27.7 28.7 30.0
other Departments -23 7.5 1253.4 269.6 277.0_ 269.5
Since May 1963 these allotments have
been increased by Cabinet approvals of
new projects, of which the main items are:
Purchase of 24 Fl111A strike-reconnaissance
aircraft; construction of two additional
frigates to replace H. M. A. S. Voyager";
increased costs for the fleet fitting of Ikara;
expansion of the Pacific Islands Regiment
in Papua and New Guinea; replacement of
V. I. P. aircraft; purchase of seven additional
Caribou aircraft; a housing programme;
and defence aid for Malaysia. The
total estimated cost of these approvtals is
œ 1 18 million.
In addition to these specific projects,
additional costs have also been incurred
with the introduction of new Service pay
scales, improved conditions of service,
basic wage increases and margins adjustments.
The ' addition of the expenditure
flowing from all these decisions has
involved an increase in the planning allotments
of ' the May 1963 review to the
following-
1963-64
( Actual) 1964-65
( Estimates) 1965-661966-671967-68
im Emn Em Em Em
Navy 55.6 69.2 80.1 81.3 76.9
Army 79.0 94.2 106.5 109.4 111.2
Air 89.2 90.0 99.6 108.1 105.3
Supply Department 29.3 33.0 34.0 33.2 34.6
Defence Department and other charges to the
Defence vote 7.4 10.4 10.2 9.0 9.8
260.5 296.8 330.4 341.0 337.8
14661 / 64.-2
The decisions which
announced will increase
figures still further to -the I have just
these adjusted
following-
1965-66 1966-67 1967-68
œ m œ m œ m
Navy 95.2 105.3 98.5
Army 118.1 138.0 150.1
Air 107.8 130.3 131.5
Supply Department 38.4 39.0 39.1
Defence Department and
other charges to the Defence
vote 10.5 9.1 9.9
370.0 421.7 429.1
These are very great increases. We consider
that they are warranted having regard
to the situation which we now face.
Although decisions which we have now
made will mean an increased allocation
over the three years commencing 1965-66
of some œ 212 million, we are certain that
the people of Australia will also recognise
the need for us to continue to maintain
adequate defence forces capable of meeting
the obligations which we have to make
a great Australian defence effort, and also
those obligations which we have assumed
with our allies. No-one can doubt that the
increase in defence expenditure arising from
the decisions which I have announced, with
their added demands for manpower and
material resources, will have very significant
economic and financial effects.
In the present financial year, the direct
budgetary effects will be limited. There will be a spurt between now and the end of the
financial year in accommodation and other
works expenditure necessary to the commencement
of the selective service
scheme in July. And here and there,
there will be a need to make small
initial payments this financial year
towards new equipment which is the
subject of the new three year programme.
However, in 1965-66 and later years, the
impact will Ibe large. In the first place, it
will present a formidable budgetary problem.
On top of -that, the additions to expenditure
at home will add to the call on the resources
of the economy, which are already under
some strain, and the additions -to expenditure
abroad will increase whatever drawings
would otherwise be made on our external
reserves. There are thus involved obvious problems
for -the national economy. These must and
will be faced and solved. All I need say
at present is that, as a Government, we have
acted under a sense of national duty. We
believe that we will have wide public support
in whatever tasks may lie ahead. I present
the following paper-
Defence Review-Ministerial Statement,
November, 1964-
and move-
That the House take note of the statement.
Debate ( on motion by Mr. Calwel)
adjourned.