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October 14, 2026
Defence Heritage Bill to give parliament power to block Labor's 'shortsighted fire sale'
The battle to save Sydney's Victoria Barracks will move to federal parliament today as a Coalition frontbencher seeks to short-circuit the Albanese government's plans to flog off key military assets.
Opposition defence spokesman James Paterson will introduce a private senator's bill aimed at empowering the Senate and House of Representatives to block the sale of specific defence sites under threat, including the historic Victoria Barracks, the Australian Army's spiritual home.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal Mr Paterson's rearguard action launched in response to Defence Minister Richard Marles refusing to backtrack on a divestment program designed to offload 67 defence properties to net $1.8bn has a two-pronged strategy.
The bill, if passed, will give both Houses of Parliament the power of "parliamentary disallowance" over the disposal of lands used by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) or the Defence Department.
It will also compel Mr Marles to table a statement in parliament to justify why the sale of any particular defence estate asset is in the national interest.
"Our military heritage belongs to all Australians," Mr Paterson told the Telegraph.
"It belongs to the Anzacs. It belongs to our veterans alive today. It is not the plaything of a political party.
"If a government wants to sell defence bases, they should demonstrate they have the support of the parliament to do so, and that's what this bill does.
"Richard Marles is selling off the family silver because his government refuses to adequately fund defence. It trashes our history and it will harm our military capability.
"If the case for each of these asset sales stands up to scrutiny, the government should have nothing to fear from the parliamentary oversight proposed in this bill."
HMAS Penguin at Middle Head and Lancer Barracks at Parramatta are other sites earmarked for sale by Mr Marles that have drawn significant community resistance.
A Senate committee inquiry that will table its findings in February issued an interim report last month recommending the Albanese government "immediately halt" the divestment program.
The committee further recommended that parliament enact new legislative powers to shield sites of national interest a trigger for Mr Paterson's Protecting Australia's Defence Heritage Bill 2026.
"The community has spoken," Mr Paterson added.
"Veterans have spoken. The Senate has spoken.
"The Albanese government and its Defence Minister refuse to listen, so it's time parliament stepped in and brought this shortsighted fire sale to an end."