The Australian Government's Plan to Sell Defense Land Faces Opposition as Military Camps and Training Facilities Are Up for Sale

[Global Times Comprehensive Report] Recently, a large-scale plan to sell defense land promoted by the Australian government has faced fierce opposition.

According to a report by Singapore's Straits Times on the 16th, the Australian government plans to sell more than 60 defense properties in various forms, including military camps, training facilities, and storage land in multiple locations, including Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The Australian government estimates that these assets have become unusable due to aging facilities and would require significant maintenance costs; selling these facilities could reduce costs, with approximately 3 billion Australian dollars (1 Australian dollar is about 4.9 Chinese yuan) to be invested in the construction of new military bases and AUKUS-related projects.

The plan has quickly faced opposition from various quarters. Peter Tinley, chairman of Australia's largest veterans organization, the Returned and Services League (RSL), stated that many of the facilities being sold embody the history of the Australian military and the shared memories of service members, and once sold, they cannot be restored. The RSL claims that this sale involves a large transfer of personnel and items and is the largest defense land reform in the country's history, but the Australian government announced the plan without sufficient communication with the public, prompting them to petition online for the Australian Parliament to investigate.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles previously stated in an interview that the duty of the Australian military is to protect the country, not to "protect cultural heritage." He emphasized that some of the facilities being sold are administrative offices of the military and not combat-ready facilities, and that this will not affect national defense construction.

Some defense experts do not agree with Marles' viewpoint. Neil James, executive director of the Australian Defense Association, stated in an interview with the Straits Times that selling these parcels could impact Australia's ability to meet its long-term defense needs. Some facilities located in city centers are responsible for training reserve forces and emergency mobilization readiness; they facilitate the gathering and training of reserve personnel working nearby. If these are sold and training locations are moved further away, it will significantly reduce the enthusiasm of service members to participate in training and hinder the completion of emergency gatherings during wartime preparations.

Former defense official Michael Shoebridge stated that the sale plan, which has taken 20 years, offers limited help in alleviating the country's defense spending pressure. (Xu Xuan)