House debates Questions without Notice
Defence Procurement
David Feeney Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Justice
2:31 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's statements about Australia's offshore patrol vessels. In Adelaide, the Prime Minister said construction of our future naval fleet would be centred in South Australia. In Melbourne, the Prime Minister said construction would most likely start in South Australia but would then move to Melbourne. Last week, the Prime Minister said Western Australia could bid for these vessels. Will the Prime Minister finally stop the chaos and tell Australians where these vessels will be built?
Mr Champion interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:32 pm
Our anticipation is that the offshore patrol vessels, or corvettes, will start building in 2018 in Adelaide. After 2020, when the frigates start building in Adelaide—
Nick Champion Wakefield, Australian Labor Party
Are you going to sail them around the country?
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
it is quite possible that the corvettes might be constructed somewhere else—very simple; very straightforward.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I want to say this to the member who asked the question. We have an outstanding shipbuilder in Austal, an outstanding Western Australian based shipbuilder—an absolutely outstanding shipbuilder which has not only built ships for the Australian Navy and which is not only currently building ships for the Australian Border Force; it is building ships for the US Navy. Any Australian shipbuilder that can successfully build ships for the US Navy is damned good indeed.
Obviously, they will have a chance to bid for and be involved in the work in Adelaide and elsewhere—obviously.
Ms MacTiernan interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
That is why Austal welcomed our announcement. That is why BAE—
Alannah Mactiernan Perth, Australian Labor Party
Not Senator Reynolds, she's not happy with you!
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
currently building ships in Williamstown, in Melbourne, welcomed our announcement. What all of them are so happy about is that, at last, there is a government in Canberra that is prepared to make decisions and is prepared to back Australia. We are prepared to back Australia and we will give Australia the naval resources that we need to keep our country safe in the future, unlike members opposite, who sat on their hands for six years, prejudicing the defence and security of this country. You cannot trust Labor with the nation's defences based on their record between 2007 and 2013.
Ms MacTiernan interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
Not a single naval order was placed with an Australian shipyard and hardly any naval orders were placed at all, but those that were all went overseas. Every single one of them went overseas, so I repeat: Austal, BAE, the Labor Premier of South Australia—every single person that takes the defence of Australia seriously welcomed our announcement of a $40 billion fleet build centred on Adelaide. The only people who have not welcomed it are those job-destroying people opposite. Shame on them!
Tony Smith Speaker
Before I call the member for Mallee, the member for Perth continued to interject after she had been warned twice. She can leave the chamber under 94(a).