Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

In the short time I have left to me, I will try and answer the various points that were raised by my colleagues. I will deal briefly with the landing helicopter docks that the member for Corio asked about, in order to be able to answer his question. I can tell him that the HMAS Canberra completed initial propulsion sea trials in May, which, together with advice from industry partners, indicate Canberra is able to return to service before full pod repairs take place during scheduled maintenance docking later this year. Following analysis and advice from industry partners, Navy is continuing planning for Canberra to participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2017. The final decision on Canberra's participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre will be made in the coming weeks.

HMAS Adelaide moved to the dry-dock at Navy's Fleet Base East on 17 May 2017, and Defence is undertaking a range of activities, including access to and a detailed inspection of the propulsion pods, defect rectification and maintenance. The docking and inspection of HMAS Adelaide has identified damage to the port pod bearing system, which is the likely cause of the oil contamination, and reaffirmed the measured approach taken by Defence in managing the propulsion pod issue. Once more information is available, Defence will provide further updates. HMAS Canberra and Adelaide are still in their operational test and evaluation period. It is in this period that issues such as the ones currently being identified and addressed are resolved.

My colleagues from the coalition side of the House asked questions which I think deserve responses, starting with the member for Fairfax, who is one of the most significant advocates for team Queensland in this building and is putting in a laudable effort in order to try and win more work for Queensland in defence industry. The state government has really dropped the ball in recent years in promoting defence industry, unlike other states, but is now trying to come to the party—albeit late. But Queensland is well represented here by LNP members—in fact, by all three LNP members in the Chamber as we speak. The process for the Land 400 contract, which is the 225 combat reconnaissance vehicles, is that the two vehicles—the Rheinmetall vehicle and the BAE vehicle—are currently being tested in their risk mitigation activities to assess which one Army would prefer for us to purchase and of course to build, as much as possible, here in Australia.

I took part last week in the live firing exercise at Puckapunyal—I see the member for Kingston is now particularly interested in the idea of me being in a uniform—and firing—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

I did. I have never fired a rifle, Member for Moreton, but I fired a cannon and I hit the target six times out of eight in the Rheinmetall and BAE vehicles. That was part of the risk mitigation phase for the two vehicles. It is, as you said, a $4 billion project. It is very significant. Both the bidders have indicated that they have down-selected Queensland and Victoria as the two sites where they will base their operations and their work. That is good news for both of those states. The contracts are so large, the scale of these projects is so huge, that the whole country will benefit from wherever the combat reconnaissance vehicles are being built, whether it is in Queensland or Victoria. I can assure the member for Fairfax that he and his Queensland colleagues are leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that Queensland gets a fair hearing as part of that process.

The member for Fisher raised with me issues about Australian involvement in defence industry. I visited HeliMods with him on the Sunshine Coast, who have won the contract to provide wet decks for the Navy's helicopters. I must say that was one of the best front pages that I have seen in a newspaper. The Sunshine Coast Daily's headline was '$200 billion bonanza for the Sunshine Coast'. It was not that the Sunshine Coast want a share of the $200 billion military capability build-up; they want all of the $200 billion! They obviously have great faith in their member, the member for Fisher—which they should.

The member for Leichhardt has gone, but he has been a great advocate too, for Cairns, as the sustainment and maintenance centre. I am sorry that we are running out of time. If the member for Kingston had covered that earlier—

Ms Rishworth interjecting—

rather than allowing the member for Corio to have four or five goes, she might have actually got an answer to her question. But there are other members in the Chamber who want to have an answer to their question—

Ms Rishworth interjecting—

and you have waited a bit long to saunter in, Member for Kingston. You should have been more on the job.

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