Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Under this government's plan, naval shipbuilding has gone from zero to booming in seven years. We are committed to building 45 vessels at Henderson, worth around $16 billion. Already, about $3 billion in contracts have been signed with WA shipbuilders, a $1.5 billion transformation of defence infrastructure at Henderson and at HMAS Stirling is well underway and we are investing more than $300 million in new maritime tracking ranges off the coast of Perth. Hundreds—in fact, thousands—of new multigenerational jobs are being created across these programs throughout the supply chain in Western Australia. I can assure all Western Australians that all shipbuilding and sustainment decisions will be made for the right reasons at the right time in the national interest, and all Australians would expect nothing less.