Jet hitch for Abbott before trade trip

An aircraft breakdown has delayed the start of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's trade and security trip. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has had an inauspicious start to his four-nation trade and security mission, with his plane suffering technical issues on the tarmac.

Mr Abbott is due to meet Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Batam Island later on Wednesday to improve relations damaged by spying revelations and asylum seeker policies.

But his departure from Canberra was delayed several hours due to technical problems with his RAAF jet.

A replacement jet had to be brought in.

After Indonesia, the prime minister will travel to France with other world leaders for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. He will also meet with president Francois Hollande in Paris.

He will then head to Ottawa for meetings with business leaders and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, followed by talks with US President Barack Obama in Washington DC.

"It will be another opportunity for me to demonstrate that Australia is open for business," Mr Abbott said before leaving.

"It will be a further opportunity for me to bolster Australia's economic and national security."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Mr Abbott should use his time overseas to think about how to make the federal budget fairer.

"This rotten budget is still here festering and it will still be here when you come back," Mr Shorten said of the trip.

Mr Abbott dismissed suggestions he should remain in Australia to get his first budget through a hostile parliament.

"It's always good to be improving Australia's international relations," he said.

Asked about the jet breakdown, Defence Minister David Johnston said it was probably not a good look for the Royal Australian Air Force.

"But we do have a back-up plane for exactly that reason," he said.

"I'm determined to fix it very quickly.

"These aircraft are very old, they're well maintained, they're very serviceable but there are some issues with age and we've got to deal with them and we need to trade out of them."

A 20-member business delegation will accompany Mr Abbott to New York and Houston.

The US is Australia's largest source of foreign investment and is the top destination for Australian investment abroad.

Canadian pension funds are being wooed to invest in Australian roads, energy utilities, airports and ports.

Defence Minister David Johnston said the Rudd government had given the coalition a "hospital handball" by renewing the contract on the current fleet just before the 2013 election.

The fleet includes two leased Boeing Business Jets and three Bombardier Challengers operated by the RAAF's 34 Squadron and based at Canberra International Airport.

"I was very unhappy about that," Senator Johnston said of the contract renewal, adding the aircraft were old and required increased maintenance.

The coalition had been willing to give bipartisan support for a new VIP aircraft fleet, but now was left with "significant costs" if it wanted to cut short the lease.

"There is a program we are working on now," Senator Johnston said.

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