Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Xenophon for raising this important issue, but I just wonder why it is being raised now. We had a Labor government for six years who did absolutely nothing about any sort of shipbuilding in Australia. While Senator Xenophon makes a good point now, it just seems to me a pity that these points were not made five or six years ago, because, if they had been, and if you could have got the previous Labor government to move to actually do something, then there would not have been the valley of death. There may have been some shipbuilding happening now. We had six years—

Senator Gallacher interjecting—

Senator Gallacher, you tell us why in six years the party of which you are a member—

Senator Conroy interjecting—