Mr HARDGRAVE (3:18 PM) —My question is addressed to the Minister for Defence. Would the minister confirm for the House the commitment of the government to the financial measures in the white paper that enable its implementation? Minister, what proposals exist that will jeopardise these measures?

Mr REITH (Minister for Defence) —I thank the honourable member for his question. One of the best things about the white paper—and there are many good things about it—is that we have set out what we think are the equipment requirements of Australia's armed forces in the next 10 years. Furthermore, we have put the money aside in our calculations to ensure that those commitments are properly funded. It is called the capability plan. It is the first such capability plan that we have had. It marks a new era in proper management and planning for the defence forces. I believe it will give this country a much more secure position as we proceed through this decade.

I am asked whether or not there are any proposals that might jeopardise that. There is no doubt that in the policy field there are some proposals which jeopardise the very substantial commitment we have made to the Australian Defence Force. I advise members of the House that the Labor Party has a policy for two new subs. The reason that that jeopardises our plan is that its proposal is for two free submarines. I have no doubt that the secret plan of the Labor Party is to raid the defence budget and upset the priorities which are encompassed in the white paper. But that is not the only area where we find the seeds of colossal mismanagement for which the Leader of the Opposition was infamous when he was defence minister once before.

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Paterson is warned.

Mr REITH —He is going to strengthen national security. What would be the cost? According to his documents, there would be no cost at all. We had a proposal for an Anzac battalion. What did he say that would cost? He said, `Zero, zero, zero for a total of zero.' That is the free battalion you are going to get. We have the community affected by the Salt Ash Bombing Range here in Canberra today. The parliamentary secretary has been speaking with them. Of course the Labor Party has a solution—a new bombing range. What would be the cost of this solution? We have the benefit of Labor's costing—Labor's initiatives from the 1998 election campaign. This is a free bombing range. We have a free submarine, a free battalion and a free bombing range. They are full of promises of new equipment, all purchased from the same shop, and all for free. On top of that, Labor have a policy for a coastguard. In 1977, this proposal was considered. In 1984, the now Leader of the Opposition looked at it and said, `It is not a good idea. On today's prices it would cost $2 billion.' When you look at his policy, what does he say? He says that a coastguard would have a minimal financial impact on the budget. So we have got a free coastguard now to throw in with our two new free subs. The fact of the matter is—

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr SPEAKER —The minister will respond to the question.

Mr REITH —I do not want our Treasurer to think any of this is for free. The fact is that, if the Labor Party is to have a genuine policy position on defence, they are going to have to put up some of the details to back up their position. You cannot hide, when the questions are being asked, how you are going to pay for these commitments. They launched the campaign in Ryan this week, and the one person who was not there was the Leader of the Opposition. The Labor Party, in the seat of Ryan, have got him so hidden away that they have got Peter Beattie sending out the direct mail, because they know that Kim Beazley as an alternative is not well received either in the Ryan electorate or elsewhere. We have a few months to go between now and the next election, and I say to the Leader of the Opposition: you can run, you can jog, but you cannot hide. There is no rock big enough, there is no tree big enough, that will allow you to escape the implications of the empty and hollow promises that you today make to the Australian public.