Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
2SM Radio Sydney with Chris Smith
TOPICS: Defence cookbook, post-election focus
10 July 2025
E&OE
Chris Smith
Within the Defence Force there is a group called the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordinance Group Ordinance group which, has a very important and significant job, you should imagine, tasked with establishing a $20 billion domestic missile manufacturing industry. Missiles and drones are the way wars will be fought in the future, as they are in well certainly as they are in areas of Eastern Europe at the moment and Gaza Middle East. Russia launched 728 drones and 13 missiles into Ukraine overnight, classic example, just in the last few hours. So having our own capability for missiles and drones is crucial for our defence. So what has the guided weapons and explosives ordinance group produced with your money? A cookbook. The group boss Air Marshal, Leon Phillips – he must think he’s a pretty good chef – he authorised an $1800 print run of a recipe book to celebrate Harmony week earlier this year. This is from the guided weapons and explosives ordinance group. Air Marshall Phillips, who is a keen amateur cook, I’m told, shares his recipe for spaghetti gamberi, telling his team to share this meal with great company and a lovely dry Riesling. Acting opposition Defence spokeswoman Senator Michaelia Cash is on the line. Is this a joke?
Senator Cash
Well, I’m glad you said that, because when I was first told about it, when my adviser came in and told me, Chris, I actually thought it was some sort of woke joke. And then they looked at me and they said, Michaelia, we’re actually being serious. Chris, this has got nothing to do with defending our nation. We are in uncertain global times. I would have thought that Australians want all of our military’s efforts to focus on defending our nation. I don’t care what their role is. The role is to defend our nation, not to, as you said, write a cookbook, because Air Marshal Leon Phillips believes, and I quote, the incredible power of food will help get his team get the job done. That is a woke joke. Enough is enough. And I tell you, Chris, have you read the comments online? Because Richard Marles probably wants to take a look at them. I mean, I know this government has been re-elected. I’m not going to make excuses for the fact that we lost, but I don’t think Australians voted for our nation’s military, and in particular the GWEO, the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordinance enterprise. That’s what they’re meant to be looking at. There are, you know, a critical pillar of Australia’s sovereign defence capability. I mean, this is critical. This isn’t about dollars. This is about deterrence. It’s as simple as that. And as I said, this has got nothing to do with defending our nation. And the government should explain why this is going on.
Chris Smith
I bet this is not a sole example. I bet you we’ve got other very serious, significant public servant enterprises that have gone and, you know, done woke-y things like put cookbooks together, which is why they spent so much of our money. It’s the sort of thing that infests so many woke companies nowadays, isn’t it?
Senator Cash
Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me. Seriously, this is just it. Quite frankly, given the global strategic environment, enough is enough. We need to focus on our core business of defending our great country and ensuring that in these uncertain times, we are doing everything to ensure that we properly invest in our defence forces so that if the need ever arose, Australia is able to defend itself. And when you see our defence force, proudly producing a cookbook, you honestly have to question where their priorities lie. I shouldn’t say our defence force. I’m not going to say that. I’m going to retract that – the GWEO.
Chris Smith
Yeah, very, very well said. How are you going, by the way, just as a matter of fact, after the election is over and you’ve had time to breathe. Are you surging forward?
Senator Cash
Yep absolutely I am surging forward because. I mean, I was out and about this morning at a shopping centre talking to people, and life is tough. It’s as simple as that. Yes, this government was re-elected. As I said, I’m not going to make excuses, Chris, for the fact that we were not elected and we lost, but that doesn’t change the fact that life is tough. People are doing it tough. I mean, you just saw the recent decision of the Reserve Bank to keep interest rates on hold. People are doing it tough, and our role is to ensure that we hold this government to account, but more than that, ensure that in 24 months, 36 months time, when the next election is eventually called, we present a credible alternative to them.
Chris Smith
Yeah, all the very best. Thank you very much for your time, and we’ll talk soon.
Senator Cash
Always good to be with you. Take care.
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