Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question and acknowledge the service that he has provided to Australia's national security. One of the Albanese government's greatest challenges is securing Australia's future submarine capability. There is no military platform that gives rise to a greater question mark in any adversary's mind than a highly capable submarine, which is why submarines matter, in terms of building Australia's strategic space for diplomacy and for trade.

There is no worse example of the lost decade that Australia has had, under the former coalition government, than the sheer negligence that they showed in the handling of future submarines, and the rot started very early. Former defence minister Johnston declared that he had no confidence that Australia could build a submarine. Indeed, he famously declared that he wouldn't trust the Australian defence industry to build a canoe. Prime Minister Abbott and defence minister Andrews sought to have our future submarines built by Japan as a bargaining chip to close the free-trade agreement with Japan. Talk about the tail wagging the dog! And in early 2015, the country was treated to the spectacle of Australia's future submarines being tossed around the former government's party room during the empty chair challenge on Tony Abbott. There is no moment where those opposite have shown greater contempt for Australia's defence or the Australian people than this.

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