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Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has met with her Singaporean counterpart to mark 30 years of defence training co-operation.
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A virtual meeting has been held between Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds and Singapore’s Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, to mark the 30th anniversary of the Singapore Armed Forces training at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, and the ratification of the Singapore-Australia Treaty on Military Training and Training Area Development in Australia.
The ministers reaffirmed their respective commitments to strengthening bilateral defence ties between the countries to help develop a peaceful, inclusive and resilient ASEAN-centred region.
The counterparts noted the importance of the Singapore-Australia Treaty signed in 1990, which they described as a “seminal moment” in the nations’ defence relationship.
“Continued training over the years is a visible manifestation of our deep and abiding relationship, which has expanded in scale and reach,” the ministers said in a joint statement.
“As a result, thousands of Singapore Armed Forces soldiers and National Service personnel among them train annually in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. In 2013, Exercise Trident, which involves all three services of the Singapore Armed Forces and Australian Defence Force, was incorporated.”
The ministers added that the treaty has supported the joint development of training areas and facilities at Shoalwater Bay and Greenvale, Queensland, which, when completed, would “further enhance professional exchanges and interoperability”.
“It will also provide opportunities for local communities in central and north Queensland to participate in and contribute to the development,” Minister Reynolds added.
The anniversary was marked with the launch of a commemorative video, which celebrated the defence relationship.
Chief of the Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, and Singapore’s Lieutenant-General Melvyn Ong also unveiled a commemorative plaque for Camp Growl, which has housed many Singapore Armed Forces personnel who have trained at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.
[Related: Defence reaffirms commitment to ASEAN]
