Alannah Mactiernan (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. In Adelaide, the Prime Minister said the build of our new future fleet, including the offshore patrol vessels, would be centred on South Australia. In Melbourne, the Prime Minister said that the construction of the vessels would most likely start in South Australia but then could move to Victoria. Is the Prime Minister aware that the current patrol boats were built in Western Australia? What is the Prime Minister's position on where Australia's new offshore patrol vessels should be built?

Mr Pyne interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House will stop interjecting.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do thank the Leader of the House for reminding me that, in fact, members opposite did not place a single naval order with an Australian shipyard—not a single order with a naval shipyard.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If you do not want the answer, I will not give one. If you want an answer, sit down.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the Prime Minister to resume his seat.

Mr Ewen Jones interjecting—

Members will cease interjecting, including the member for Herbert.

Mr Ewen Jones interjecting—

The member for Herbert will cease interjecting, and it would help if those on my left ceased interjecting.

Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order on direct relevance. The Prime Minister was talking about the previous government. Eight hundred shipbuilders have lost their jobs in my electorate since the election of this government—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gellibrand will resume his seat. That is an abuse of a point of order. I call the Prime Minister.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In response to the member who asked the question, the new offshore patrol vessels, or corvettes, will be a substantially different and larger vessel to the existing patrol boats. She is right: the existing patrol boats, the Armidale class, were built by Austal in Perth. They are an excellent vessel. The Cape class, which is the new class of Customs vessels, are being built in Perth. Again, they are an excellent vessel. So I can say to the member for Perth: Austal do a great job; they do a fantastic job.

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth will cease interjecting.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They do such a good job that Austal have now been commissioned by the United States navy to build war ships for the US.

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The member for Perth has asked a question. The Prime Minister is answering the question. You are interjecting continually. I am asking the member for Perth to cease interjecting. I call the Prime Minister.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And I am praising Austal. They are doing a fabulous job.

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth will cease interjecting. The Prime Minister.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am trying to do justice to a great company in the member for Perth's electorate, or near the member for Perth's electorate. Austal are doing a fabulous job, and they will have every opportunity to be involved in future naval construction in Australia. But when it comes to future naval construction, the frigate build will centre in Adelaide—

Ms Parke interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. Member for Fremantle, a point of order has already been raised. It was an abuse each time. I am asking you to resume your seat. I have ruled on the matter.

Ms Butler interjecting—

The member for Griffith will resume her seat. Member for Fremantle, was your point of order on relevance?

Melissa Parke (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will hear the member for Fremantle.

Melissa Parke (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, my point of order is that the Prime Minister keeps referring to the ships being built in Perth. They are actually being built in Fremantle.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not a point of order. The member for Fremantle will resume her seat. I call the Prime Minister.

Opposition members interjecting—

Members on my left will cease interjecting. The Prime Minister.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The offshore patrol vessels will be at least twice the size of the vessels currently being built by Austal, but Austal certainly are welcome to be involved and to bid as part of the competitive evaluation process that will begin from October. What I said and what I stand by is that the offshore patrol vessel build will start in 2018; the frigate build will start in 2020; the frigates will be built in Adelaide. The offshore patrol vessel build I expect to start in Adelaide after 2020. When the frigates are built it may move.