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

My question is to the Minister for Defence Industry. Is the minister's so-called announcement of 60 per cent Australian industry content on the Future Submarine contained in any contract between the Australian government and Naval Group?

Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recall standing here over a week ago clearly outlining that, in the contract, we are in the design phase and, at the end of the design phase, we would be in a position to agree what the AIC contribution was going to be. The good news—and this is a great opportunity to talk about it—is that the Minister for Defence has now met with her French counterpart and they have agreed that the AIC in the submarine contract will be no less than 60 per cent. That is good news. But our job on this side of the House is to make sure that we maximise, because that is the contractual objective in the contract. We will work hard to ensure that it's beyond 60 per cent. I repeat: once the design phase is finished, we will then progress to that. But this is incredibly good news, and I'm disappointed that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not see it for what it is.