Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence Industry. Will the minister outline to the House how the government's investment in defence industry will generate thousands of jobs for hardworking Australians, create a stronger economy and ensure our national security? How will Western Australia benefit from the largest military build-up in our peacetime history?

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

I thank the member for Canning for his question. And I almost feel sorry for the member for Sydney. I would quite like for her to have another go; she was going so well! But unfortunately she is not in the chamber. But I digress.

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

I can arrange for you to have a conversation with her immediately, if you would like!

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

Well, I would not want to do that—although she is very good company. Last week the Prime Minister and I and the Minister for Defence launched the Naval Shipbuilding Plan. In the Naval Shipbuilding Plan, Western Australia is a big winner. Western Australia will build 31 of the 54 new vessels that this government has commissioned for our Australian Navy—31 out of 54. And the first one of those, the Pacific patrol vessels, I cut steel on only a month ago. That is a $300 million project employing more than 500 people. Austal, in Henderson, has already begun work—almost finished work—on two additional Cape class patrol vessels, a $63 million project employing 400 people. And Austal has announced that it will employ a further 100 new apprentices in cabinet making, fitting and turning, and ship welding at its set-up in Henderson, which I know the member for Canning has been deeply interested in, trying to find local jobs for the young people in his electorate, in apprenticeships.

Western Australia will build 10 of the 12 offshore patrol vessels, worth $3 billion to $4 billion and employing over 400 people. And I recently turned the sod on Civmec's new shipbuilding facility at Henderson—an $80 million new shipbuilding facility which I began a month ago. It has a larger footprint than the MCG and is taller than the Sydney Opera House. That is the scale of the work that is being created because of the decisions this government has made in the last four years. Civmec says it will have 1,000 people working in it, including 100 apprentices at Civmec's new facility at Henderson.

And Western Australia does a lot of the sustainment work. In this financial year alone, we will spend $140 million on the Anzac class frigates in sustainment at Henderson and $150 million on the Collins class submarines in sustainment. And this Prime Minister announced $100 million of new infrastructure at Henderson and HMAS Stirling on top of the $366 million that we have already committed to the redevelopment of the HMAS Stirling base. So, in stark contrast to this government, on that side of the House they reduced funding for defence to 1.5 per cent of GDP. They did not commission one Australian shipyard to build one vessel in this country. We are transforming the defence industry in this country, particularly in Western Australia, at Henderson, of which we should all be proud.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.