I move:

That this House:

(1) recognises the proud naval shipbuilding history of Australia;

(2) notes that:

(a) the ability to build and maintain naval ships is essential to our national defence capability;

(b) over 4,000 skilled workers are currently employed in the Naval Shipbuilding Industry throughout Australia, most notably in Port Adelaide, Williamstown, Sydney, the Hunter and Henderson;

(c) as current contracted work reaches the end of the production phase, these jobs and shipyards will begin to come under threat; and

(d) once these jobs and skills are lost, it will be very difficult for the industry to be re-established; and

(3) calls on the Government to continue the work begun by the last Government and to provide additional Commonwealth contracts to ensure that these jobs and valuable skills are not lost.