Senate debates

Tuesday, 3 March 2015

Questions without Notice

Defence Procurement

2:57 pm

Photo of Stephen ConroyStephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Do documents exist that confirm an understanding, agreement or commitment for Japan to build Australia's new submarine fleet?

Photo of Eric AbetzEric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | | Hansard source

Not to my knowledge.

Photo of Stephen ConroyStephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer the minister to a news report in The Australian yesterday, and I quote:

… the federal government single-mindedly pursued a plan to buy the navy's new submarines from Japan.

I ask the minister again: do documents exist that confirm an understanding, agreement or commitment for Japan to build submarines for Australia?

2:58 pm

Photo of Eric AbetzEric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | | Hansard source

Not to my knowledge—for a second time.

Photo of Stephen ConroyStephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I refer the minister to Peter Hartcher's article in TheAge,on 20 February, and I quote:

The government was on the brink of announcing the decision to buy Japanese.

So I ask the minister again: do documents exist that confirm an understanding, agreement or commitment for Japan to build submarines for Australia?

Photo of Eric AbetzEric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | | Hansard source

For the readers of Hansard, see the answers to the two questions above.