House debates

Tuesday, 16 March 2021

Questions without Notice

Defence Industry

2:43 pm

Photo of Nicolle FlintNicolle Flint (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence Industry. Will the minister please outline to the House how the Morrison government is developing and delivering a world-class defence industry that is creating jobs and delivering essential capability for our ADF as we come back from the COVID-19 recession? Is the minister aware of any alternative policies?

Photo of Melissa PriceMelissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | | Hansard source

I thank the member for Boothby for her question and acknowledge her interest and passion for Australia's defence industry, particularly the defence industry in South Australia. The Morrison government's record $270 billion investment in defence is creating a world-class defence industry right here at home in Australia. We're creating thousands of Australian jobs and delivering new opportunities for Australian businesses to supply essential capability for our men and women in uniform. We are supporting Australian businesses at home and abroad, and we are incredibly proud of that. A good example is the partnership between industry and Defence to deliver the Boeing Loyal Wingman in Melbourne. The Loyal Wingman is the first locally designed and built military aircraft in Australia in some 50 years. Recently, we met a major milestone with the Loyal Wingman when we embarked on its inaugural flight. And we're going to build upon our investment in this program. We will invest a further $115 million in this program, where we will acquire an additional three aircraft, securing over 100 Australian jobs—jobs that will be found all around Australia, not only in South Australia but also in Queensland and regional Victoria.

In more good news for South Australia, we have just recently announced that the Morrison government has signed a $150 million contract with BAE Systems Australia. This is a contract to support the production of the next generation Nulka decoys and launchers for our Navy. This is a capability that provides our ADF with leading-edge countermeasures to protect Australian warships. This investment will support some 90 jobs and Australian SMEs in South Australia and across the country.

Our Australian defence industry knows that the Morrison government has spent the last eight years reversing Labor's failure and neglect of our Australian defence industry. Not only did they cut $18 billion from our defence budget; they failed to commission one single Australian built ship. History has shown that this left thousands of Australians without work and also increased the risk to the defence of our nation.

What have the Morrison government done? We're very proud of our record. We have commissioned 12 Attack class submarines and 21 Pacific patrol boats, and we can't forget those nine Hunter class frigates and the 12 offshore patrol vessels. The Morrison government are getting on with the job of the defence of our nation, and at the same time we are creating a world-class, home-grown, sovereign defence industry.