Glenn Lazarus (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion no. 788 standing in my name, for today, relating to Australia's shipbuilding before asking that it be taken as a formal motion.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) recognises the need for the Australian Government to support Australia's shipbuilding and maintenance industry, Australian maritime jobs and to restore confidence in the sector;

(b) notes that Cairns, Queensland has a rich naval shipbuilding heritage, including the building of the 14 Fremantle Class patrol boats, and that a Cairns consortia has submitted a bid for the Federal Government Pacific Patrol Boats Tender; and

(c) calls on the Government to confirm that the outcome of the Pacific Patrol Boats Tender will not be affected by Prime Minister Mr Tony Abbott's commitment to build naval vessels in South Australia.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister announced on 4 August that the government would commit to an historic continuous build of surface naval vessels in Australia. As part of this, the future frigates and our new offshore patrol vessels will be built in Australia. Both these programs have been brought forward, which will preserve up to 1,000 jobs that would otherwise have been lost as a result of the former government's inaction on shipbuilding.

I would like to clarify to Senator Lazarus that the announcement last week stipulated that the future frigates would be built in South Australia. It also said that the offshore patrol vessels will be built in Australia with a specific location to be determined following a competitive evaluation process. The construction of the Pacific patrol boats is a separate program to both of these and was not part of the announcement made last week. The tender for the Pacific patrol boats has closed and the responses are currently being assessed by the Department of Defence, with a government decision due following the completion of that process.

Question agreed to.