Mark Butler (Port Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Just two weeks ago in Adelaide the Prime Minister said:

What we are announcing today is basically a fleet build here in Australia, centred on SA …

So why has the Defence Teaming Centre stated in today's Adelaide Advertiser that only $8 billion out of the $39 billion for ships will be spent in South Australia? Prime Minister, isn't this just another betrayal of South Australian jobs from a chaotic government?

Mr Dutton interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Immigration and Border protection will cease interjecting!

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is false and misleading information; it is as simple as that. The Advertiser, which is a respectable newspaper, has been fed false and misleading information by the Defence Teaming Centre. I want to make it absolutely crystal clear that, when this government said that we would spend some $89 billion on fleet building, we were talking about acquisition, not sustainment. We were talking about acquisition. Almost $40 billion will be spent on a fleet build centred in Adelaide on acquisition. It is not on acquisition and sustainment; it is on acquisition.

I will tell you what we have done which members opposite could never do. Let's not forget that members opposite did not place a single naval shipbuilding order with an Australian yard in six years. In six long, wasted years, in six years given up for the locusts to eat when it comes to Defence naval shipbuilding, they did not place one single naval shipbuilding order with an Australian yard. To help fill the valley of death that Labor created, we have brought forward the offshore patrol vessel or corvette build by two years. It will start in three years time—likely in Adelaide. We have brought forward by three years the future frigate order. By 2020 those frigates will be being built in Adelaide. We have offered a future in South Australia for naval shipbuilding in Australia.

Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Twelve submarines.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I hear the cry, 'Submarines.'

Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Twelve submarines.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Adelaide will cease interjecting.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That order, like the future frigates order, should have been placed years ago. Members opposite completely neglected that.

Opposition members interjecting—

All you are doing is shrieking. That is all you ever do. You whinge and whine. You are led by 'Bellyache Bill' over there—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will refer to members by their correct titles and withdraw.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw. He will be remembered for one thing only, and that is backstabbing two prime ministers. This government, by contrast, is getting on with the job of providing for our nation's defences and our nation's shipbuilding industry. (Time expired)