Review demands Defence action on bases “neglected for decades”

A committee investigating Australia’s defence needs has revealed it was “seriously disturbed” by the level of neglect at some of the nation’s primary military facilities.

A “ridiculous” lack of common sense had left critical defence bases neglected for decades in Australia’s north, some without basic amenities to allow personnel to do their job, a damning review has found.

Part of the blame has been traced back to the 2010 government of Prime Minister Julia Gillard who promised big investments for Defence only to make the biggest cuts to the military since the Vietnam War.

A review into the critical needs of Defence by the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade claimed it was left “seriously disturbed” by the level of neglect of some of the nation’s primary military facilities.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard meets with former PM Kevin Rudd to discuss the campaign strategy for the 2010 federal election. Picture: Supplied

While the report, tabled in parliament late last week, valued the Albanese Labor government’s commitment now to upgrade facilities like RAAF Tindal, it noted basic maintenance had not and was not being done elsewhere.

Of particular concern was the joint Australian-US spy base Harold E Holt Naval Communications Station in Australia’s North West Cape and the remote RAAF Base Learmonth which didn’t have basic airconditioning in critical maintenance sheds.

The spectacular Milky Way dominates the night sky as a No. 11 Squadron P-8A Poseidon sits on the hardstand at RAAF Base Learmonth.

“Those that must work in these sheds report that in hot weather which regularly reaches 40 degrees Celsius, and on such days, it is only possible to work approximately 10 per cent of the time in short iterations. This is clearly ridiculous and a false economy,” Subcommittee chair Labor MP Julian Hill noted in his review.

“The Subcommittee is keen to understand how such a requirement is proposed, the criteria on which it is assessed and how decisions are made – in particular what weight is given to common sense local command input.”

Post flight maintenance, including refuelling, is conducted on a Royal Australian Air Force No. 11 Squadron P-8A during Operation Resolute. Picture: Defence

Such was the sewerage system at that base, a cap has had to be placed on the number of personnel and or visitors it can accommodate.

At the Harold E Holt base, Mr Hill was disturbed by the state of a pier supporting diesel refuelling as it demanded “urgent action is required within the next few months as this is a critical capability for Australia and the United States”.

Other issues were kept out of the public version of the report.

The sensitive Harold E. Holt Naval Communications facility at North West Cape, WA. Source: Google Earth

While the Defence Strategic Review was accelerating upgrades to bases the committee wanted to understand the consideration of discrete and essential work in the moderate works program versus future major capital upgrade projects.

Australian Army soldiers from the Ready Combat Team board an aircraft suspected of carrying drugs, explosives and weapons as part of exercise Northern Shield 2015 in RAAF Learmonth. Picture: Defence

It noted essential ongoing or moderate maintenance activities had been deferred to larger future capital upgrades that never occurred going back to 2010, when Labor’s Julia Gillard retained government and slashed military spend to pay Budget debts incurred during the reign of her predecessor Kevin Rudd.

“It is both obvious and a matter of great concern that critical infrastructure upgrades at strategically important remote air bases and bare bases have been neglected for decades,” Mr Hill said. “Investments were proposed and planned in 2010–2012 yet never occurred.”

Originally published as Review demands Defence action on bases “neglected for decades”