Ministerial Statement

Royal Australian Air Force Centenary

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:05): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I rise today to acknowledge and celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the creation of the Royal Australian Air Force. We are joined today in this chamber, in fact in the gallery, by members of the Royal Australian Air Force: Aircraftwoman Rebecca Hughes, Flight Sergeant Ranaan Wolterman, Aircraftwoman Leisha Anderson; Corporal Steven Boatwright, and Sergeant Shane Formosa. Welcome. I thank them for their attendance on this very important day.

The Royal Australian Air Force is the second oldest air force in the world, and this centenary is a significant milestone of which we should all be very proud. For many South Australians, seeing an AP-3C Orion, or more recently a P-8A Poseidon, fly over our beach on maritime patrol training missions is an iconic symbol of the strong connection between the Royal Australian Air Force and our state of South Australia.

South Australian ties to the Air Force in Australia are well entrenched, beginning with Sir Richard Williams, dubbed the Father of the RAAF, born in Moonta on the state's Yorke Peninsula in the late 1800s. Sir Richard Williams was the first military pilot trained in Australia and went on to command Australian and British fighter units in World War I. He was a staunch advocate for an independent air force and played a crucial role in the establishment of the Royal Australian Air Force. He also became its first Chief of the Air Staff in 1922.

I was very pleased this week to announce that my government has contributed funding to establish a permanent statue of Sir Richard Williams in his home town of Moonta, forever commemorating his role in the creation of the Royal Australian Air Force. I thank the organising committee in Moonta for their work on this important statue and I look forward to seeing it in Moonta soon.

Today in South Australia the centenary day was marked with a commemorative service at the state War Memorial, but this is just the beginning, and I am so excited that there will be a number of events to mark this major milestone across the state over the coming year. From Mount Gambier to Moonta and beyond, our connection to the Royal Australian Air Force will be acknowledged, highlighted and celebrated, reflecting on how our connection with the Royal Australian Air Force has transformed over the last century. South Australia has consistently welcomed those who serve and their families into our state, and of that I am very proud.

The RAAF played its first active role during the Great War or World War I and since then it has seen active combat in all the major conflicts Australia has seen, including Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East and various peacekeeping missions supporting the UN. As at 2018, there were well over 14,000 Australians serving in the RAAF of which 6,500 are based here in South Australia. Our state is committed to working with the Royal Australian Air Force to operate and sustain our nation's capability through building a robust defence industry that can support the modernisation and continued development of air warfare technology.

My government is equally committed to strengthening South Australia's role as the national centre of defence intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance airborne platforms, all while growing the state's existing 9,000 defence personnel. The Edinburgh Defence Precinct is the most crucial piece of our air warfare ecosystem, creating long-term career opportunities, attracting investment and driving innovation.

So much has happened and so much has been transformed, but what remains steady is that members of the Royal Australian Air Force has played and continue to play a significant role in our state. After a challenging 2020, it is wonderful that we can come together and celebrate the centenary of the Royal Australian Air Force, as well as showcase the immense history of the Air Force in South Australia.

South Australia has a long and proud partnership with the Air Force, and in its centenary year, where not even the sky is the limit, we have only glimpsed into what the future holds for the Air Force here in our state.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!