Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Can the Deputy Prime Minister confirm HMAS Stirling, in my home state of Western Australia, will be the home of Australia's future nuclear-reactor-powered submarine fleet, and is the minister aware of any safety concerns for local residents?

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. Yes, as the member knows, Fleet Base West, HMAS Stirling, will be the home of both SRF-West and the future nuclear-powered submarine capability that Australia operates. There will be an enormous effort in terms of putting in place safe regulation of the nuclear establishment and the safety of that site. We are, of course, talking about nuclear reactors which are of a size that will—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will pause, and I'll hear from the Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance, the minister was asked, 'Is the minister aware of any safety concerns for local residents?'

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will listen carefully to the Deputy Prime Minister's answer. I was hearing him talk about the nuclear submarines, and he's got two minutes remaining in which to answer. He is being directly relevant, and I don't think he could be any more relevant if he tried, so I'll allow him to continue.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are talking about a nuclear reactor of a size that will power a single machine. That's what we're talking about, in terms of the nuclear reactors that are within the submarines. We understand the sensitivity involved here and the safety measures that need to be put in place. These are not nuclear reactors of the size, for example, that would power cities. These are not nuclear reactors of that size, and they do not generate the same amount of material as a nuclear reactor which might, for example, power a city.

We understand the sensitivity that would be involved in giving assurance to the Australian people about where reactors which power cities might reside and where the nuclear material that comes from those reactors would ultimately be stored. That is on a completely different scale to what we are describing in terms of a nuclear reactor which powers a single machine.

Opposition members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Gippsland. Order! Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Nationals will just cease interjecting.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite are trying to draw some comparison between them and nuclear reactors which power cities. That is the difference here. What we are doing is making sure that the nuclear establishment in respect of Australia's nuclear-powered submarines will be completely safe. What they are positing is something entirely different.