SENATOR Jim Molan promised Geelong\u2019s veterans he will not back away from his strident advocacy for their causes at a forum last week.<\/p>\n
The former major general in the Australian Army and recently-elected senator for New South Wales (he replaced the ineligible Fiona Nash) has been outspoken on defence and veterans\u2019 issues for many years, and was the guest at an event at the Geelong RSL on Thursday organised by Corangamite federal member Sarah Henderson.<\/p>\n
Senator Molan took several questions from the audience following his speech, including one from a veteran about whether the senator was now \u201ctoeing the political line\u201d since being elected.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you listen to my first speech, I reckon I haven\u2019t backed off from anything I\u2019ve been saying for year after year,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n
He also answered questions about the Coalition\u2019s energy policy, Australian involvement in Afghanistan, the Department of Veterans Affairs not recognising submariners, and the inquiry to the<\/p>\n
ADF\u2019s use of anti-malarial drugs. In his address, Senator Molan said Australia had to redefine its relationship with its allies,
\nparticularly the United States, which would have implications for defence spending here.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we are to move into a new era, we must move on from a reliance, an over-reliance, on other nations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe great achievement we have in this nation\u00a0 is that we have kept conflict far from our shores. It is a great achievement, but it is also the greatest challenge we will face in the next 100 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to deter people who might want to invade us.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the power of the United States to come to the aid of all their allies had diminished, with the American military previously able to fight two-and-a-half wars simultaneously but now only capable of waging one.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat must mean something to this country.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SENATOR Jim Molan promised Geelong\u2019s veterans he will not back away from his strident advocacy for their causes at a forum last week. The former major general in the Australian Army and recently-elected senator for New South Wales (he replaced the ineligible Fiona Nash) has been outspoken on defence and veterans\u2019 issues for many years, […]<\/p>\n