CHECK AGAINST. DE1J. VR EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER
OPENING OF NEW MARITIME HEADQUARTERS
SYDNEY 25 FEBRUARY 1991
More than ten years ago, in 1980, an idea for a Maritime
Command Centre was developed as part of a larger plan to
modernise the Garden Island Dockyard and Fleet Base
facilities. In the years that followed, the project evolved
to reflect the growing need for joint force operations, and
to keep pace with the dramatic advances in the technology of
computing and communications.
The result is that today we see a completed Maritime
Headquarters building that brings together in one place all
the functions of command, control, communications and
intelligence -that are essential to the effective maritime
operations of the Australian Defence Force.
These Headquarters, staffed by members of the Army, Air
Force and Navy, embody our commitment to ensuring that the
three arms of the Defence Force work effectively together
under joint commands.
It has been fortunate that the Maritime Headquarters
commenced operations in August 1990 the month that Iraq
invaded Kuwait. From the outset, the Headquarters have been
tested by the many operational demands placed on it by our
deployment to the Gulf. And the results have proved that
this maritime headquarters has been well-planned and is
doing excellently the job of supporting our ships in the
Gulf. Our ships are serving today in the Gulf to support the
United Nations1 determination that Iraq's invasion of Kuwait
must not be allowed to stand.
On the very day on which Saddam Hussein invaded the Gulf,
the UN Security Council in Resolution 660 demanded that Iraq
withdraw from Kuwait unconditionally. That is still the
UN's position.,
At any time s. ince his invasion, Saddam Hussein could have
withdrawn; but at every stage he has instead rejected the
UN's resolutions and ignored the actions of the
international community, regardless of the cost to his
country, to his people and to the world.
The international community has not acted hastily to force
Saddam Hussein to leave Kuwait. It has acted steadily and
deliberately for nearly seven months to persuade him, and
then to coerce him, to give up what he had no right to in
the first place.
First the UN applied mandatory and comprehensive economic
sanctions. Saddam Hussein ignored them. Then the UN
imposed a deadline of 15 January. Saddam Hussein ignored
that too. WhEin that deadline passed, the coalition with the
backing of the UN undertook a major air offensive against
Iraq's military and strategic capabilities.
With shocking recklessness and against all reason Saddam
Hussein still clings to Kuwait despite the damage that has
already been done to his country and people, and the
tragedies that: lie ahead for them.
He has spurned the diplomatic efforts of the Soviets and
others over recent days to secure his compliance with UN
resolutions, and he has ignored the coalition's deadline
for withdrawal..
Saddam Hussein. can have been under no doubt; had he started
to pull his forces out of from Kuwait as the UN resolutions
required, his armed forces would not have been attacked as
they withdrew.
Diplomatic efforts to avoid the ground war failed for the
same reasons that all previous efforts to solve the crisis
have failed; because Saddam Hussein has refused to withdraw
unconditionally from Kuwait.
Australia, through our naval task force in the Gulf, will
play its part in this final phase of the Gulf crisis, just
as we have played our part throughout the past seven months.
The deployment of Australia's naval forces to the Gulf has
been a major undertaking.
I know a great deal' of work had to be done by the ADF to
ensure that our vessels and crews were quickly prepared and
dispatched to the Gulf, and were at the peak of their
performance on their arrival, ready to join with the
multinational forces opposing Iraq.
One central key to our effective participation in that
force, and to -the efficient performance of that work, lies
here in the Maritime Headquarters and in the command
arrangements and philosophy which underlie its development.
The close link between the Maritime Headquarters and
representatives of the other Services ensures that the most
efficient and effective use is made of Australia's defence
capabilities. So let me take this opportunity to congratulate the Maritime
Commander and staff at the Maritime Headquarters for all the
outstanding work they have done in support of Australia's
commitment of forces to the Gulf.
The public gaze often rests on the exploits of Service
personnel abroad. And I am sure that everyone here today,
in this grave climax of the Gulf crisis, shares with me a
deep pride in the way in which our Servicemen and women are
acquitting themselves in the Gulf.
But this is also a time to pay tribute to the
professionalism and commitment of those whose contribution
is made here in Australia, as an essential part of our Gulf
operations. Here in the Maritime Headquarters lies the
responsibility for the planning and coordination of
Australia's first contribution to combat operations since
the Vietnam War. It is your expertise and your dedication
on which we al. l rely.
My congratulations to you all on the important job you are
doing. Our men and women in the Gulf are in good hands.
I would now like to declare open the new Maritime
Headquarters.