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About David


David served in the Australian Defence Force for over 22 years. An Army pilot, he flew helicopters and fixed wing aircraft and was the Senior Flying Instructor at the School of Army Aviation in Queensland.

Graduating as an experimental test pilot from the Empire Test Pilots’ School (UK), he finished his full time career in Defence as the Commanding Officer of the RAAF Aircraft Research and Development Unit.

Elected to the House of Representatives as the Member for Wakefield (SA) in 2004, he served in the Parliament until 2007. David continued to fly as a test pilot and ran a small business working in the Defence and Aviation sectors prior to being elected to the Senate in 2010, 2016 and again in 2019.

In the (45th) Parliament, David was sworn as the Assistant Minister for Defence.

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3 days ago
Senator David Fawcett

Congratulations to Stephen Lamb (co-convener and veteran) and the CYCSA for the running of the second HMAS Hobart Cup Inter-Services Teams Challenge.

hmashobartcup.online/Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia ... See MoreSee Less

Congratulations to Stephen Lamb (co-convener and veteran) and the CYCSA for the running of the second HMAS Hobart Cup Inter-Services Teams Challenge. 

https://hmashobartcup.online/

Cruising Yacht Club of South AustraliaImage attachmentImage attachment

UNRWA decision risk and reckless — Joint Media Release

Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Opposition in the SenateSenator Claire Chandler, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs The Coalition does not support the Albanese Labor Government decision to release $6 million in paused funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) ahead of, and without coordination with, key partners especially the United States.The Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 saw the largest loss of Jewish life on a single day since the Holocaust, have precipitated a humanitarian catastrophe for Palestinians in Gaza used as human shields by Hamas, and nearly six months later continues to see hostages held by Hamas.No Australian taxpayer dollars should go to support any organisation whose staff or operations may support, incite, or undertake terrorist actions the likes of which we saw on 7 October.Allegations of failings within UNRWA are longstanding but took on even greater consequence when UNRWA employees were stood down as a result of potential involvement in the October 7 attacks. The Albanese Government was correct to pause Australian funding to UNRWA and is acting in a premature and reckless way by restoring it ahead of the finalisation of the UN-initiated reviews.Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s decision to refuse to release the advice on which this decision was reached is completely unsatisfactory and lacking in transparency.Many questions have been left unanswered including which “partners” were consulted and what verifiable undertakings have been secured to guarantee Australian dollars go to genuine need, not terrorist sympathisers.The Prime Minister promised to “make sure that every dollar Australia contributes, as would the other contributors like the US and Canada, goes to helping people on the ground who really need it.”So why has the Albanese Labor Government made this decision, directly contradicting the approach of the United States who await the outcomes of the investigation into UNRWA and in the interim are pursuing alternate means of delivering more humanitarian assistance?Minister Wong’s responses today of “I don’t know, what I don’t know” gives no reassurance that this Labor Government has undertaken the necessary work to ensure that any reinstatement of funding to UNRWA comes with stronger and verifiable accountability conditions. Such conditions should be applied in concert with a major partner like the United States, whose leverage is essential to achieve change in UNRWA operations and mandate.The Coalition supports the other additional assistance and international cooperation announced today that seeks to secure more effective delivery of more assistance to innocent civilians in Gaza facing dire needs.Ultimately, the Albanese Labor Government should have continued to withhold funding from UNRWA until investigations are complete, redirected this funding to other aid mechanisms and only moved to reinstate UNRWA funding with strong and verifiable conditions that are applied in lockstep with partners like the US.The Coalition reinforces the call for hostages taken by Hamas on 7 October to be immediately and unconditionally released. The ceasefire the world seeks in this war that Hamas started on 7 October could be swiftly secured if Hamas released the hostages and surrendered its terrorist operatives and infrastructure.www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/unrwa-decision-risky-and-reckless/ ... See MoreSee Less

3 CommentsComment on Facebook

This is a terrible decision.

Penny Wong should be ashamed of herself giving hardworking Australian taxpayers money to terrorists supporters.

As an Australian taxpayer, I don't want a single penny of my taxes to go to corrupt and terrorist supporting organisations like UNRWA

Photos from David Speirs MP's post ... See MoreSee Less

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5 days ago
Senator David Fawcett

I was pleased to join a wide range of Defence Industry stakeholders today at the Naval, Military and Air Force Club to discuss the future of Defence industry in South Australia.

Industry participants made it clear in presentations and individual discussion the extent of challenges they are facing due to the contracting delays and unexpected program cuts following the Defence Strategic Review. During my keynote address, I spoke on the importance of industry as a fundamental input to a resilient defence capability—highlighting the need for coherence between policy intent and procurement contracts.Such an approach will provide the cashflow that allows for investment in people, capability and innovation.I also spoke about the opportunities (and hurdles) presented by AUKUS, which we must successfully navigate if we are to deter conflict in our region and effectively utilise the capacity and potential of South Australia’s Defence Industry. ... See MoreSee Less

I was pleased to join a wide range of Defence Industry stakeholders today at the Naval, Military and Air Force Club to discuss the future of Defence industry in South Australia.

Industry participants made it clear in presentations and individual discussion the extent of challenges they are facing due to the contracting delays and unexpected program cuts  following the Defence Strategic Review. 

During my keynote address, I spoke on the importance of industry as a fundamental input to a resilient defence capability—highlighting the need for coherence between policy intent and procurement contracts.

Such an approach will provide the cashflow that allows for investment in people, capability and innovation.

I also spoke about the opportunities (and hurdles) presented by AUKUS, which we must successfully navigate if we are to deter conflict in our region and effectively utilise the capacity and potential of South Australia’s Defence Industry.

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Senator David Fawcett, I trust you're going to disect the latest defence industry policy in relation to 'sovereign' capabilities and businesses. Seems a very poor effort from Defence. We need to be self-reliant (and/or self-sufficient) in critical capabilities and suppliers.

On 14 March 1942, eight Japanese Betty bombers, escorted by twelve Zero fighters, launched an attack on a small advanced operational airbase on Horn Island—thirty kilometres north-west of Cape York, Queensland.

Although Darwin had been bombed just a month earlier, Horn Island remained lightly defended. Stationed at the base were a few dozen RAAF personnel and a detachment from the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion.Also at the airbase during the attack, by chance, were nine US Kittyhawks, on their way to Darwin at the time. Hearing reports of around twenty aircraft en route to Horn Island, the Kittyhawks took to the skies to intercept them.One of the US pilots, Lieutenant House shot down an attacker before his machine guns jammed. Observing a Zero targeting his leader—Captain Morrissey—House flew his plane directly at the attacking aircraft, penetrating its fuselage with his right wing.Despite the damage to his own plane, House managed to land safely on Horn Island.While the Kittyhawks engaged the Zeros, the Japanese bombers released their munitions on the airbase—hitting the runway and scoring a direct hit to a grounded Hudson bomber. Zeros also strafed the airbase—damaging the buildings but killing none of the ground crew.One airman noted that the numerous holes in the buildings would let the rain in and “cool things down a bit”.Three Australians were injured in the attack, while two US airmen received shrapnel wounds.You can read more about the attack on Horn Island here: www.awm.gov.au/sites/default/files/121446/files/daybombsfell0-1.pdf Lest we forget.Photo: A Mitsubishi G4M “Betty” bomber. The same type that took part in the raid on Horn Island. (AWM 044157) ... See MoreSee Less

On 14 March 1942, eight Japanese Betty bombers, escorted by twelve Zero fighters, launched an attack on a small advanced operational airbase on Horn Island—thirty kilometres north-west of Cape York, Queensland.

Although Darwin had been bombed just a month earlier, Horn Island remained lightly defended. Stationed at the base were a few dozen RAAF personnel and a detachment from the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion.

Also at the airbase during the attack, by chance, were nine US Kittyhawks, on their way to Darwin at the time. Hearing reports of around twenty aircraft en route to Horn Island, the Kittyhawks took to the skies to intercept them.

One of the US pilots, Lieutenant House shot down an attacker before his machine guns jammed. Observing a Zero targeting his leader—Captain Morrissey—House flew his plane directly at the attacking aircraft, penetrating its fuselage with his right wing.

Despite the damage to his own plane, House managed to land safely on Horn Island.

While the Kittyhawks engaged the Zeros, the Japanese bombers released their munitions on the airbase—hitting the runway and scoring a direct hit to a grounded Hudson bomber. Zeros also strafed the airbase—damaging the buildings but killing none of the ground crew.

One airman noted that the numerous holes in the buildings would let the rain in and “cool things down a bit”.

Three Australians were injured in the attack, while two US airmen received shrapnel wounds.

You can read more about the attack on Horn Island here: https://www.awm.gov.au/sites/default/files/121446/files/daybombsfell0-1.pdf 

Lest we forget.

Photo: A Mitsubishi G4M “Betty” bomber. The same type that took part in the raid on Horn Island. (AWM 044157)
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