1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,360 Speaker 1: Some more detail on the new defense spend. It's twelve 2 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: billion all up, nine of which is new money yesterday. 3 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: Two billion of that is going to be spent on 4 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: choppers and deployment. When former Defense minister with us, very 5 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: good morning to you, good wanting Marnier's side this smart spending. 6 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 2: Oh yes, it is the existing helicopters. About fifteen years ago. 7 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 2: They were bought real cheap from the Australians. I managed that, 8 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 2: and frankly they've done well to do fifteen years. 9 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:29,479 Speaker 1: Do explain unless I got the misreportage. Two billion dollars 10 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: for five choppers sounds like a lot per chopper. 11 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 2: Yes, that would be, and I think it might be 12 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 2: a bit less than two billion. The Minister Collins is 13 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 2: quite clear about five helicopters. Well, that would be less 14 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 2: than two billion, even taking into account spare simulators, et cetera. 15 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 2: The Spanish bought eight of these helicopters. They'll almost certainly 16 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 2: be American Seahawks, that make sense. The Assie said the 17 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 2: same thing for nine hundred and fifty million in US 18 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 2: and that'll be a complete package, so we might is 19 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 2: seeming significantly less than two. 20 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 1: Billion, Okay. The deployment part in the role of the military. 21 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: Is this moving in the right direction. 22 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 2: Yes, it is. I mean we've struggled to get proper deployments, 23 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 2: particularly the Navy, although they're doing more of that now. 24 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,680 Speaker 2: And part of that is, of course making sure recruitment 25 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 2: retention is up. We've had problems around that as well. 26 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 2: So the government is making the essential steps. You know. Frankly, 27 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,199 Speaker 2: the Defense Force has been running down for a little 28 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 2: bit in terms of recruitment and retention essentially, so that's 29 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 2: having to be bolstered up, and that's a fair chunk 30 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 2: of the twelve billion. 31 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 1: Does retention solve itself? If you're joining somewhere that's got 32 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: new kit, does that make you want to join more? 33 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 2: Yes? It does. I know that from my own experience. 34 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 2: You know, you sort of if you go a young person, 35 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 2: you go in the military and everything's like sixty years old, 36 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 2: you think, yeah, right, we look second rate here. If 37 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 2: everything's kind of new, you're thinking nearwhere right in the game? 38 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: Fantastic? That gor right one. Appreciate the update. 39 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 2: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 40 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 2: News Talks at b from six am weekdays, or follow 41 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.