Elbit Systems
Tim READ (Brunswick) (14:29): I have a question for the Premier. In March this year the Minister for Industry and Innovation visited Israel and met with Elbit corporation, the largest weapons supplier to Israel, whose weapons are currently being used in the invasion of Gaza. He reaffirmed the Victorian government’s commitment to the human and machine teaming centre of excellence with Elbit and further discussed opportunities for increased cooperation between Victoria and Elbit. So the question for the Premier is: how much funding has the Victorian government provided to the human and machine teaming centre since 2020?
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:30): I thank the member for Brunswick for his question. It goes to details of what is I think a well-reported trip by the Deputy Premier when he was the Minister for Industry and Innovation. As is often the requirement for ministers in those portfolios – as indeed it is for the Treasurer, who is currently travelling overseas to represent the Victorian government’s business interests – it was entirely appropriate in this instance, when the Deputy Premier was the minister, to visit Israel and engage with businesses in Israel about economic and trade opportunities with Victoria. That has been a consistent pattern of government behaviour that governments I think of all types have pursued for a number of years, because in terms of furthering opportunities to support jobs and economic activity here in Victoria we do need to travel overseas from time to time and engage in those face-to-face contacts. Indeed at a state level we have through our Victorian government business offices the largest network of business offices of any state in Australia, and that includes having a presence in Tel Aviv, as no doubt the member for Brunswick knows.
We will continue to pursue those trade and economic relationships with businesses that are located around the world that support Victorian jobs, but what we will also do is continue to support communities here when there are times of international conflict and disturbance like we are seeing now. As we discussed at length in the house just yesterday, we will continue to do everything we can to support communities here who are grieving the loss of loved ones in Israel, in Gaza and across the Middle East, and I do not think it reflects well on members here to add to that distress, to add to those concerns or to add to the grief by endeavouring to find a way to – I do not want to accuse the member for Brunswick of necessarily playing politics with this, but we are skating close to the edge there. It is important that we show respect for communities here whilst recognising too that as a government we will look at how we continue to support our strong and growing economy.
Tim READ (Brunswick) (14:33): Our issue is not so much with the minister’s trip as with the relationship with the defence industry. A February 2021 press release from the Premier’s office stated that Elbit was funded under Victoria’s spend of $6 million supporting the state’s defence sector. Over the past month we have seen horrifying images of children injured and killed by Israeli weapons, including very likely those made by Elbit. We have seen hospitals destroyed and neighbourhoods obliterated. The question for the Premier is: after seeing the casualties their weapons are causing, will your government sever ties with this company, Elbit?
Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:34): I must say I am more than a little disappointed with the tenor, tone and content of the question from the member for Brunswick. We have engagements with a number of businesses across Victoria, and indeed when it comes to the defence industry there are a number of businesses, including in my own electorate – there are Bushmasters that were built in Bendigo that are serving in Ukraine right now. So I do not think the member for Brunswick has necessarily served himself well in the way he has presented this question. We will continue to support industry here in Victoria because they support jobs. They support jobs in communities like my own in Bendigo, and they support jobs – I think the Deputy Premier referred to Hanwha – in Geelong. We will continue to support the manufacturing industry here in Victoria.