Nick Xenophon (SA, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Carr, move:

(1) The Senate notes that:

(a) the Government has embarked on a $35 billion program to provide nine Future Frigates to the Royal Australian Navy;

(b) the Government has made a decision to exclude Australian companies from any leadership and management role in the Future Frigate program, a decision that the Department of Defence has not conveyed to the Senate; and

(c) a decision to exclude either of the two very experienced Australian naval shipbuilders, ASC Pty Ltd and Austal, shows a completely unwarranted lack of confidence the Government has in Australian Industry Capability, and has sovereign implications.

(2) That there be laid on the table, by the Minister representing the Minister for Defence Industry, by the close of business on 6 September 2017:

(a) Gateway Review briefs and decisions in relation to the Future Frigate project to the extent that those briefs and decisions go to Australian Industry Capability, the partnering or use of Australian shipyards, and how Techport and other Australian facilities might be used in the program;

(b) any correspondence between the Department of Defence and ASC Pty Ltd in response to the announcement that Australian shipbuilders ASC Pty Ltd and Austal would partner to win the contract to build the $35 billion Future Frigate in Adelaide;

(c) any correspondence between the Department of Defence and Austal in response to the announcement that Australian shipbuilders ASC Pty Ltd and Austal would partner to win the contract to build the $35 billion Future Frigate in Adelaide;

(d) any correspondence between the Department of Defence and the three prospective design partners in response to the announcement that Australian shipbuilders ASC Pty Ltd and Austal would partner to win the contract to build the $35 billion Future Frigate in Adelaide; and

(e) any other documentation held by the Future Frigate project that discusses Australian Industry Capability, the partnering or use of Australian shipyards, and how Techport and other Australian facilities might be used in the program.

Question agreed to.