Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence Industry. The government is quick to say that increased Defence spending will provide an economic stimulus for states and regions in need of a boost, so what tangible commitment can you now give that Tasmania will get its fair share of the work? For example, will Hobart's Prince of Wales Bay defence manufacturing precinct benefit from the as-yet-to-be-decided subcontract work on the Sea 1180 offshore patrol vessel and the Sea 5000 future frigates projects? Moreover, will you commit to visit Prince of Wales Bay and meet the companies based there? Tasmania and Hobart need a boost too, and there are many firms with the skills and advantages to help build and sustain Australia's future defence needs.

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

I thank the member for Denison for his question, because it gives me the opportunity to reassure him, and the rest of the House, that the government's program for naval shipbuilding is on schedule. It is on track to deliver thousands and thousands of jobs right across Australia—enormous investment in the economy, in every city right across our great country—because this government has committed to 54 naval vessels, whereas the previous Labor government committed to none at all in the six years that they were in government. In fact, they reduced spending on Defence to 1.56 per cent of GDP, which was the lowest since 1938—since the years of appeasement.

The member for Denison asked specifically about what is in it for Tasmania, which is a very fair question for him to ask. I can assure him that Tasmania has benefitted in the past from the naval shipbuilding plan. For example, Taylor Bros, which is very near the Prince of Wales precinct that you talked about, has provided material for the air warfare destroyer program—things like refrigeration spaces, prefabricated doors et cetera. A business called CBG Systems in Hobart has provided things like fire equipment, fire blankets and so on for the air warfare destroyer program.

He asks about what might be in the Future Frigate Program, where we are building nine vessels, and the Offshore Patrol Vessels Program, which is for 12 vessels. I can tell him that the workshops for those two programs are happening right now, where businesses in the Defence industry space, or that want to be in the Defence industry space, are being given the opportunity to meet with the Department of Defence and the other bidders in the two programs to show what they might be able to do. In Adelaide, they have attracted 200 businesses; in Perth, 300 businesses; in Darwin, it was about 100; in Brisbane, it was 150; and Sydney and Melbourne are yet to come, but they are both subscribed by hundreds of businesses already.

The workshop in Hobart will occur on 7 December, when businesses in Hobart and elsewhere in Tasmania will get the opportunity to come and meet with the Department of Defence and learn, in a workshop situation, how they can take advantage. One of the key differences between the Turnbull government's approach to Defence and Defence industry compared to other governments has been that we want to have, as our No. 1 priority, the capability of our Defence Force and our No. 2 priority is doing as much as possible in Australia.