Mr BEVIS —My question is directed to the Minister for Defence. Is the minister aware of reports today that Singaporean troops who are guests of the Australian defence forces at the Shoalwater Bay training area have been physically and racially abused, including a situation in which one Singaporean officer has been required to seek medical treatment and in which two Singaporean women have been pelted with eggs and spat upon? Will the minister provide the House with details of these incidents, and what is the minister's response to the reports?

Mr McLACHLAN —I thank the honourable member for his question. I have seen the media reports. I am advised that a number of incidents are alleged to have occurred during the Singaporean deployment, including two of assault and robbery, one of assault, one of throwing projectiles at a female and five of verbal abuse. However, I understand that, of the 51 incidents reported to the police during the time of the Singaporean deployment, only two involved our visitors. At this stage one of those incidents is being investigated by the police.

Whatever the cause, we regard any incidents like this as an abomination and extremely regrettable. Those armed forces personnel who were the subject of these unfortunate incidents were on leave at Rockhampton, as you know extremely well, from an exercise that has been conducted up there for some time now in the Shoalwater Bay training area. We conduct a number of those exercises with our neighbours from PNG, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines and elsewhere. Those activities have been highly successful. They promote mutual confidence, which is essential to regional stability and peace in the area.

It is worth noting that the Singapore contingent for the exercise comprised some 400 personnel. They were personnel quartered in Rockhampton as well as 2,000 personnel who were out at Shoalwater Bay, some of whom came into Rockhampton at the end of the exercise. We have found that the behaviour of those visiting friends has been exemplary.

The reaction of the local community has been in the main most welcoming. An example of this is that on the weekend when two of those incidents that were mentioned were alleged to have occurred, some 15,000 residents went to two concerts conducted by the Singapore armed forces concert company. So obviously relationships are very good.

We provide a very high level of support to the Singapore armed services through a wide range of training facilities. They will now increase because, in addition to training at Pearce and other exercises of the sort I have just mentioned, we have recently signed several major agreements and understandings with Singapore, including one signed by Dr Tony Tan and myself on the 21st of this month—Dr Tan is the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence—for the conducting of helicopter training at Oakey. That will involve the stationing—

Mr Bevis —This is all history. What are you going to do about it?

Mr McLACHLAN —Do you want the answer to the relationship question or do you just want to know the police thing, because if you do, go and ask the police.

Mr Martin Ferguson —Are you going to sit on your hands or do something?

Mr SPEAKER —Order! The question has been asked and it is being answered in a comprehensive manner.

Mr McLACHLAN —Mr Speaker, I am quite happy to show the shadow minister the details that I have. I then think he will understand why this thing is better kept under the hat. If you want to blow it up, then you will be adding to the problems that other people in the newspapers are alleging.

We look forward to continuing these relationships with Singapore and others. We will be building on those relationships, no matter what you say. In response to exaggerated claims it is always worth bearing in mind what has now become Hastie's law. Hastie was a left wing economist, I understand. You would know better than I. But he seems to have had some wise things to say. He said in the 1980s:

In any society racism will increase in direct proportion to the number of people who are given well paid and prestigious positions to discover it.