Matt Williams (Hindmarsh, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science. Will the minister advise the House of the role that defence plays in promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics in our workforce and our economy? How will the Defence white paper and Defence Industry Policy Statement support that vital national priority?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hindmarsh for his question. I know that he—like me and, in fact, Jay Weatherill, as the foreign minister has already pointed out—is particularly delighted about the Defence white paper, the Defence Industry Policy Statement and how well they have been received.

Defence and defence industries are among the most significant employers of engineers, scientists, technicians and mathematicians in the country and in the economy. There are 17,500 ADF personnel who are employed in science, technology and engineering alone. Of course, the Defence Science and Technology Group, the research wing of the Defence Force, employs 2,300 Australians. Almost all of those are scientists, mathematicians and engineers. Defence has a Defence schools pathways program, amongst many other particular programs, that encourages young people to take up careers in Defence, in engineering, science, mathematics and technology. Five thousand South Australian students alone are engaged in the Defence schools pathways program.

The Defence white paper and the Defence Industry Policy Statement continue to build on that investment through the Centre for Defence Industry Capability. The Centre for Defence Industry Capability will be an industry growth centre which will encourage Australians getting high value from their defence industry dollar.

Another part of the defence white paper is the Australian Maritime College, which will train more Australians in defence industry in those highly valuable parts of our economy. This has important spillover effects. For example, Lockheed Martin's submarine combat systems laboratory in Adelaide is a major employer of scientists, researchers and engineers, continuing to make sure that part of our economy is thriving. Because this part of the government's agenda plays in so much to innovation and science, the Cyber Security Growth Centre in the National Innovation and Science Agenda is also part of growing jobs and growth in our economy through taking advantage of the $70 billion a year cybersecurity industry worldwide. The government's policies in defence industry, in defence and in innovation are all doing exactly what the Australian people want us to do: create jobs, create growth and get our economy moving again. Under Labor, we had six years of inaction on the naval shipbuilding industry, six years of no decisions about submarines or frigates—in fact, spending on defence reduced to the lowest levels as a share of GDP since 1938.

Mr Feeney interjecting—

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

Just before I call the Leader of the Opposition, the member for Batman was interjecting incessantly through that answer. He is now warned. I call the Leader of the Opposition.