Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Recently I was privileged to visit the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson in my home state of Western Australia and to tour the world-class facilities that are operating in that precinct—and I do mean world-class. The complex has grown to be a major centre for maritime operations with the capacity for everything from sustainment and maintenance through to fabrication of complex, large-scale modules, construction of naval and commercial vessels and major project management. It has generated over 26,000 jobs and delivered over 373 major projects since 2003. Presently, over 150 companies are operating out of the complex, delivering capabilities that are respected throughout our region and the rest of the world—companies such as BAE, ASC and, of course, Austal.

Austal is a little-engine-that-could story, if ever there was one. From humble beginnings in WA, Austal has not only gone on to deliver some of the most critical naval capabilities in our contemporary history but they have grown to the point that their customers now include the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. I have not had the pleasure of seeing one of their littoral combat ships, but I was lucky enough to tour one of their recently commissioned Cape class vessels. All I can say is that I was awestruck by both the complexity and the quality of the vessel, and incredibly proud to know that it was Australian-made.

We are a maritime nation. Indeed, we are girt by sea, and our prosperity relies heavily on our maritime trade routes and lines of communication. For a nation such as ours to throw away our capacity to build the vessels required to grow our prosperity and safeguard our sovereignty is folly; yet it is precisely what the previous government did.

For six years the previous government stood idle as our domestic naval capabilities were eroded. For six years our Navy and supporting industry watched in dismay as the knowledge and manufacturing bases they relied upon were allowed to wind down and stagnate to the point that domestic naval shipbuilding capacity teetered on the brink of being lost completely. Perhaps most shamefully of all, for six years they made it clear that they expected our allies to bear the burden of ensuring our maritime security—they expected others to protect us.

But, as I saw in Henderson, there is a new feeling of hope in the shipyards of Australia. After languishing under a former government that failed to order a single naval warship, finally we have committed to what our nation desperately needs: a sovereign shipbuilding capacity. The Commonwealth government is investing in a commitment of over $89 billion over the next 20 years. It is a commitment to a continuous build program for naval warships that will ensure we have the capacity and the capability to secure our prosperity and our sovereignty.

This government's commitment means that for the first time in Australia's history there will be a permanent naval shipbuilding industry. I strongly believe in the skilling of our people, and this commitment will allow us to train generations of new professionals, both in industry and the Navy itself, providing countless jobs over the coming decades. Not only will it deliver real capabilities for our Navy, real opportunities for industry, real jobs and very real economic stimulus; most importantly, it will be sustainable. As part of the fully funded Defence white paper to be released later this year, the continuous naval shipbuilding program is backed by genuine funding commitments and is a key component of this government's broader commitment to a safe, secure and prosperous Australia.

The first step is to get the SEA 5000 future frigate program and the SEA 1180 offshore patrol vessel program back on track. By bringing these programs forward, we will not only mitigate some of the risks associated with undertaking a continuous build program for the first time but also save almost 1,000 jobs that would otherwise be lost. There have been those who said that, given Australia's performance on other large-scale shipbuilding programs, what we are suggesting is impossible. It is not. We believe in Australian workers and we believe in our domestic potential. To anyone who doubts, I challenge them to go down to Henderson and see what can be done. Rolling production will allow us to retain and grow the pool of skilled naval industry professionals, ensuring we have the talent and the ability required not just to build the next fleet but to develop the fleets that come after.

I certainly enjoyed the incredible privilege of being on one of the vessels built for the border protection program. From the quality of that ship, even I would love to spend time on it and enjoy the facilities accorded to those who serve on it.