Alex Gallacher (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, he did! He said that ministers should listen to the backbench and vice versa, that there should be a flow of information one way and a flow of information the other way. That is clearly not what is happening in the Minister of Defence's area. There is no information coming out of the Minister of Defence's portfolio or office that is supported by many South Australians. Many South Australian Liberal members of parliament are as adamant as I, as Senator McEwen, as Senator Wong, as Amanda Rishworth, as Kate Ellis and Nick Champion—all of the Labor side is adamant that this is a once and for all opportunity to build on the defence state of South Australia.

Independent reports are saying that there could be as much as $250 billion of investment and tens of thousands of jobs over the next 40 years. In the next 40 years in South Australia: $250 billion of investment and tens of thousands of jobs. We know very clearly that this minister, having made a promise, has backed away. He has white-anted, he has double talked and he has come out with his infamous canoe statement last week—that is, he would not trust ASC to build a canoe. That drove shivers down the whole economy of South Australia. All of the small business community that relies on a trained and employed manufacturing sector in defence thought, 'Oh my goodness; is this really the Liberal Party taking this sort of a stand?'

It is probably time, as even all of the Liberal senators and members of parliament turn on their defence minister, that he walk the plank. That is it: walk the plank; over the side; deep six; out of the way. Put someone in the job who will actually look after defence, look after the national interests of Australia. If submarines are the spear upon which the defence of our great country lies, then we need better than this minister. We need a minister who is going to stand up for defence requirements, stand up for Australia's defence, stand up to the Prime Minister's office and have a complete competitive tender for this very important piece of vital defence infrastructure. Have a competitive tender that will be open and aboveboard and allow, most importantly, ASC and South Australian defence industries to compete on a fair and equitable basis with everyone else in the world who wants to do it. It really is time that this bloke walked the plank.