The federal government has backed down on its decision to sell off a number of historic defence properties, including the Victoria Barracks in Melbourne, which together would have raised $3 billion for the Defence Department. The sale of the heritage properties, including the Victoria Barracks in Sydney and Melbourne and was met with sharp backlash from Returned and Services League (RSL) branches and former prime minister Paul Keating , when the government announced in February that it planned to fully or partially sell 67 sites for an estimated $3 billion – or $1.8 billion after costs. The Victoria Barracks site on St Kilda Road – across the road from the Shrine of Remembrance – along with Fort Queenscliff on the Bellarine Peninsula and the RAAF base in Point Cook will be spared from the sale, the government announced on Sunday. The sites will remain publicly owned, with the government opening them up to public access. The Australian War Memorial will advise the government on showcasing the history of the sites. The government had previously highlighted the opportunity to use the prime real estate for sites to build new homes. The Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn said in February the release of surplus defence land would “go a long way in tackling the housing crisis”. At that time, veterans groups and heritage advocates reacted warily to the divestment plan , which they warned could undermine the military’s presence in the country’s major cities and hamper defence recruitment. RSL Victoria president Mark Schroffel said on Sunday that the government had “made the right decision” by withdrawing the Victorian sites from sale. “It is good to see the government finally listening to veterans and the broader community about the significance of these historic sites,” he said. “Having reconsidered its position, the government must now ensure that these sites are properly protected, maintained and preserved for future generations.” RSL national president Peter Tinley AM welcomed the decision but said the visible Defence presence in strategic locations was “critical” to attracting new Australian Defence Force personnel. An RSL national spokesperson said the organisation had not been consulted about the most recent reports, nor had it been initially consulted before the original divestment announcement. Consultations had not been done “in good faith”, the spokesperson said, claiming the government had told the RSL ‘this is what is happening’ rather than asking for advice. Generally, the RSL does not support the sale of the properties, the spokesperson said, but noted that “obviously there are some sites in the list that need to be sold off, and we would be encouraging the government to loop the RSL in”. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement on Sunday the program “creates opportunities to open Defence’s historic sites and buildings to the public, and to commemorate our nation’s history.” Opposition leader Angus Taylor said in a post on social media that the divestment was “never about modernising the Defence estate – it was just another smash and grab for revenue by a prime minister who can’t manage money and can’t control his spending”. Defence Minister Richard Marles said that it was “more important now than ever” that Australia as a robust defence force, “and that involves a fit-for-purpose defence estate”. The government could not “afford to be wasting money,” Marles said. “By moving personnel off these sites, and working to open them up for the public, we are ensuring that the history of Victoria Barracks is one that can be protected and returned to all Australians.” Albanese and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher will hold a press conference in Sydney on Sunday afternoon to announce the backtrack and the next steps for the 63 other sites that will be divested. The Age previously reported in September that Marles insisted he would not back down from selling the properties, labelling one of the location
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