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Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has confirmed that the Australian Defence Force will remain the 'last port of call' with 'unique assets' for disaster assistance, following an ADF truck crash over the weekend.
Discussion has reignited around use of the Australian Defence Force for civilian disaster situation, following the incident involving two ADF 40M Trucks responding to Cyclone Alfred near Lismore on Saturday, March 8.
The two Defence vehicles carrying 36 personnel reportedly rolled near Lismore, injuring 13 people before they were conveyed to hospital.
The Federal Government confirmed that ADF personnel were injured on March 8 during the incident, while on their way to help Australians in need.
The Deputy PM and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, speaking to Sky News on March 10, said some personnel had been discharged from hospital and at least one person remains in hospital is in a stable condition with non life threatening injuries.
"The circumstances of the accident which occurred on Saturday afternoon is still being the subject of an investigation. All of that is still being investigated," he said.
"There were two 40M trucks, there wasn't a collision, both of them rolled. But beyond that it is a matter which is under investigation.
"Obviously the conditions were difficult and... to state the obvious, an enormous amount of rain and the roads were wet.
"I mean there is a discussion that was to be had and the Defence Strategic Review talked about the fact that we need, in natural disasters, for the Defence Force to be the last port of call and the last call that is made when assistance is needed.
"And we're working with State Emergency Services, with National Emergency Management Australia around having that conversation in the medium and longer term. And it is an important conversation to be had.
"But to be clear, when the call is made, we will always be there. And we'll be there because there are unique assets which the Defence Force has.
"Obviously there are significant personnel. Right now... there are 500 ADF personnel who are engaged in southeastern Queensland, another 700 in northern New South Wales. We've got high clearance vehicles, there's an airlift capacity which is ready to go in the event that people need that support if there are rising floodwaters. I mean these are assets and capabilities which in some instances only the ADF has.
"In other instances only the ADF has at scale. So, clearly when a call for assistance is made, we will always answer that call. Now when that call is made, that is a conversation to be had over the medium and longer term and that's legitimate. But right now, in the midst of a specific crisis, a call is being made and the ADF is there. And when that call is made will always be there."
