In February, the Government announced plans to divest dozens of Defence sites from around the country, including iconic locations such as Victoria Barracks and part of HMAS Penguin. These strategic assets are not only rich in history, they are strategically placed.
Since the Defence Minister announced these divestments, I have been contacted by many veterans across Mackellar. Their message to me has been clear: these nationally significant Defence sites should not be sold. They should remain in Commonwealth hands.
Robert, a member of the Dee Why RSL Sub-Branch, was conscripted into the Australian Army and his father was one of the Rats of Tobruk. He wrote movingly about the layers of history still visible at the Victoria Barracks, from Busby’s Bore, which supplied 300-400 gallons of water to Sydney up to 1902, to the marks in its sandstone left by generations of soldiers.
I’ve heard from many other veterans:
· Bob from Cromer, who served with the First Armoured Regiment in South Vietnam.
· Andrew from Mona Vale, a member of Pittwater RSL Sub-Branch, who served in the Army and Army Reserve since 1987 and performed guard duties at Victoria Barracks.
· Darren, who served as an operational F/A-18 fighter pilot.
· Robert and Bob – both members of Forestville RSL Sub-Branch.
· And Leigh from the War Veterans Village Narrabeen RSL Sub-Branch.
These veterans have all added their voices to opposing the sale of Defence assets.
We should listen to them.
Victoria Barracks is not redundant real estate. It remains a functioning military precinct. It is home to Forces Command and continues to train Defence personnel, including personnel from overseas. Its messes, ceremonial spaces and shared facilities sustain military culture and professional relationships that cannot simply be transplanted into a commercial office tower.
It is also an extraordinary part of our national story. Most of the precinct is heritage listed. Its sandstone walls, Busby’s Bore shafts and historic Racquets Court are irreplaceable.
HMAS Penguin is equally significant. It remains an operational Navy base delivering critical clearance-diver and underwater-medicine capabilities, and its Commonwealth-heritage-listed site also contains environmentally important bushland.
Selling these places produces a one-off return. Losing them is permanent.
Importantly, the Senate inquiry has heard credible alternatives. The National Trust has argued that historic Defence sites should remain in public ownership and be put to their best community use. Former Lieutenant Commander Richard Menhinick has argued that Defence should be retaining and strengthening strategically important assets and infrastructure, not disposing of sites that may be needed to support the nation's future defence.
Others have proposed continued Defence custodianship alongside adaptive reuse and expanded public access, or - where Defence genuinely no longer requires land - transfer to an appropriate Commonwealth public body such as the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust.
These options can preserve heritage, improve community access and retain land for future strategic needs without surrendering public ownership.
I stand with the veterans of Mackellar who have contacted me. I urge the Government to pause these sales, listen to the Senate inquiry, and keep Victoria Barracks, HMAS Penguin and our nationally significant Defence heritage in Commonwealth hands for generations to come.