David Feeney (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the decision to exclude Sweden from the government's submarine selection process. The Prime Minister has said:

… it's almost two decades since Sweden built a submarine …

Is the Prime Minister aware that Sweden has built or significantly refitted 11 submarines since 1995, with the last delivered in 2013? Has the Prime Minister made his 'captain's pick' based on false information?

Mr Champion interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister has the call. The member for Wakefield may not be here to hear many more answers.

Opposition members interjecting—

Better than usual, I've got to admit. I call the honourable Prime Minister.

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

Of course I stand by my statement last Friday, and the weasel words in the member opposite's question give away the fact that what I said last Friday was absolutely correct. Let me inform the House that Sweden remains in the process of reconstituting an indigenous submarine industry since SAAB's acquisition of TKMSAB from its German parent in July 2014. This is important: the last full submarine design and build program delivered in Sweden concluded in 1996—a good year; the election of the Howard government and the last year that Sweden actually had a design and build submarine program. It is true that since then Sweden has modified six of its oldest submarines for Singapore. Four 1960 submarines were modified in the 1990s and a further two 1980s submarines completed modification in 2009-10. So that is what Labor wants—a 1960s submarine for Australia.

Opposition members interjecting—

Okay. That's right, bring back the Oberon submarine. That is what Labor want to do: bring back the Oberon submarine. Give it to the Swedes and they will modify it, and it will be as good as new. Really and truly, Madam Speaker. These people opposite have no shame. They sat on their hands for six years, endangering our nation's defences, and now with a ridiculous question like that, plainly, they want to give us a 1960s or, at best, a 1980s submarine. Well, it is not good enough. We want to give Australia the best possible submarine as quickly as possible and that is what will happen under this government.