Mildura is well placed to play a bigger role in supporting our Defence Force. The RAAF’s primary Victorian flight training base is at East Sale in Gippsland — but there are good reasons for Mildura to support ongoing training here. The recent training deployments have demonstrated that Mildura Airport has the infrastructure, airspace and community support to host Defence activity successfully. The question now is how we build on that. I will be ensuring Mildura’s capability and readiness is clearly understood in Canberra as discussions continue about future Defence training missions. A permanent or ongoing mission presence would mean more than aircraft overhead — it would bring skilled jobs, local investment, stronger aviation pathways for young people, and long-term economic benefits for our region. Mildura has proven itself. We should absolutely be part of the next chapter of Defence training in Victoria.