David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Defence. Minister, as highlighted in Crikey today, your government decided to breach the standard payment terms of 30 days to rush through a $798 million payment to the US under AUKUS in May. Why did your government abandon Commonwealth procurement rules to rush through this payment to Donald Trump in May in just 24 hours?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I indicated in answer to the question you asked earlier, the government is wholly committed to advancing the AUKUS arrangements, particularly in relation to the acquisition of submarine capability. As we have canvassed on many occasions in the estimates hearings, that includes an agreement that we have formed with the United States to uplift their industrial base. We don't step away from those agreements, and we don't step away from our commitment to AUKUS, because we believe it is in the nation's national interests.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Shoebridge, first supplementary?

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, thank you for reiterating your commitment to spending $375 billion of public money on nuclear submarines we won't get, but could you please answer the question as to why your government—in this case the Australian Submarine Agency—decided to breach Commonwealth procurement rules to rush a $798 million payment through to Donald Trump in just 24 hours?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The schedule of payments and the fact of those is well established and well understood as part of the arrangements with the United States, and indeed we have arrangements with the United Kingdom as part of the AUKUS framework overall.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Shoebridge, second supplementary?

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, that's a fascinating statement—that the schedule of payments is well known. Your government has refused to publish the schedule of payments, refused to provide them to the public and refused to tell us when the next payment will be made. If the schedule of payments is so well known, why won't you produce them to the public, and why won't you tell us when the next payment's due?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I indicated to you in my answer to your first supplementary question, the fact of the schedule is well known and the fact of our arrangements with the United States' dimension of the AUKUS agreement is well known.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Shoebridge, you may have missed it. I said from question 11 onwards that in this place, questions and answers would be heard in silence. That applies to you.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to ask a question on behalf of the engine room of our nation and the economy and a state that brings five brilliant Labor senators here, Western Australia, regarding Commonwealth government procurement and the Buy Australia Plan.

Leave not granted.