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Next tranche of Ukrainian support will come after Bushmasters’ delivery: Marles
You’ll remember the government announced it was considering an offer to train Ukrainian troops earlier this month, but no announcements have been forthcoming.
I’m not going to make the announcement now … We will make the announcement very soon. But I think the point I want to make about this is that the previous commitments that we’ve made in relation to Ukraine, we are still in the process of of delivering and that’s as was expected and intended when those announcements were made.
Getting the Bushmasters over to Ukraine involves a scheduled delivery. There’s a logistical task here and it was always understood that up it would take some time to get all those Bushmasters over there. And that is still happening.
You’ve announced an investigation into allegations China hired former Western air force pilots to train its military. Is there any evidence Australians have been involved?
We’re very concerned by the reports, which is why I’ve asked for the department to come back to me as quickly as possible with a report about whether this is an issue which presents a material danger to Australia or not.
The point I would make really quickly to people who have helped me say read these reports is that Australians who work for the government in any capacity – but that very much includes the the military, that would include someone flying a fighter jet – who come into possession of the nation’s secrets have an obligation to maintain those secrets beyond their employment with, their engagement with the Commonwealth. That’s an enduring obligation and to reveal any of those secrets is a crime.