Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the member for Paterson from moving the following motion immediately:That the House:

(1)

notes that, in February 2009, the Rudd Labor Government awarded a $40 million contract to an American company for the development of nine joint light tactical vehicle prototypes;

(2)

notes that the Rudd Labor Government failed to consider an Australian defence industry manufacturer as a possible supplier;

(3)

condemns the Rudd Labor Government for failing to recognise Australian defence industries capability and expertise in delivering military vehicles;

(4)

acknowledges that the contract for 1,300 vehicles will be in excess of $1.3 billion and would support over 350 direct jobs and hundreds more indirect jobs in Australia;

(5)

acknowledges the economic and social contribution to the Bendigo community of the successful Bushmaster project; and

(6)

calls on the Rudd Labor Government to immediately provide funding to the Bushmaster plant at Bendigo to enable it to progress Australian designed and built prototypes for consideration in the replacement program.

This government has made much about—

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