Ex-RAAF Commander Warns Melbourne Could Be Left Without Military Air Base Amid Labor’s Sell-Off

Former Wing Commander David Chaplin also warned that with terror threat levels at ‘probable’ there was a real strategic risk to consider.

Pilatus PC-21 aircrafts from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Roulettes perform an aerobatic display over RAAF Base Point Cook in Melbourne, Australia on Sept. 25, 2025. William West/AFP via Getty Images

As the Labor government considers a mass sell-off of military bases and sites, a former senior air force commander is calling on authorities to consider any means to keep hold over one particular strategic asset.

During a Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee hearing on May 18, former Wing Commander David Chaplin argued assets like RAAF Williams–Point Cook would have an impact on emergency response, pilot training in the area, and heritage value.