Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have a question to the minister, but I will make a few comments first. The commitment by the government to commit 12 future submarines to be assembled in South Australia is welcome news for my local constituents. I have to commend the former Premier, Mike Rann, and Kevin Foley, the former defence industries minister, for having the foresight to make South Australia a defence state. It is their foresight that has led to a situation where in South Australia we clearly have—I will let the minister and the Federation Chamber know—the capacity to complete this project. As a very proud South Australian I say that there have been a lot of defence projects which have been very successfully delivered in South Australia and that this one will be no exception.

I was also very pleased with the government's recent decision, which was announced in May, to commit $214 million on the first stage of the Future Submarine Project. This was certainly welcome news. There has been discussion about this for a long time, and it was very pleasing for my local electorate to be given the certainty about it from this government. Unfortunately, no such commitment has been made by the opposition. I know it is not the member on the other side; I know he would love to build the submarines in South Australia. Unfortunately, the member for North Sydney and the Leader of the Opposition will not commit to that. That is very concerning and, I think, does put some uncertainty in the project.

From the government's point of view I am pleased to see that there is the commitment for this. It builds on, I note, the 2009 white paper, which outlined the government's commitment to acquire 12 new future submarines to be assembled in South Australia. I am very pleased that that commitment has been forthcoming with the announcement of the first stage. I think that is really important.

The opportunity for South Australia in this project cannot be underestimated. Discussions I have had with the defence industry and with the minister indicate that we are talking about not 10 years or 20 years of investment and economic activity as a result of this project in South Australia but 50 years to 100 years of exciting economic activity.

We have seen with the air warfare destroyer project that certainly South Australia has the capacity in Techport to be able to bring expertise together to deliver on defence projects. In terms of bringing industry together, I think that area in Port Adelaide has really come of age and is ready to deliver. They are very pleased, and, in the conversations that I have had, people have welcomed this commitment by the government.

It is very concerning that the opposition will not commit to this project. It is very concerning that we do not have bipartisan support for it. That fact does cause a lot of uncertainty for people in South Australia and for businesses in South Australia.

Mr Robert interjecting—

I would call on the opposition to look at it very carefully. As I said, I know the member on the other side's commitment. It is a pity that the member for North Sydney and the Leader of the Opposition does not share his commitment to this. It is very concerning. It would be good if the opposition could come on board with us and make it bipartisan. Certainly that is what people in South Australia want. Unfortunately this is symptomatic of the opposition's neglecting South Australia. Whether on water, on defence spending or on Holdens, really what the opposition leader has been clearly saying to South Australians is that he has no interest in them. But back to the issue at hand. My question to the minister is: can the minister update the chamber on the government's commitment to the future submarine capacity?

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