Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister confirm that the government privatised defence’s submarine rescue capability in 2003? Weren’t concerns raised at the time about the contractor’s inexperience in this highly specialised form of rescue and the fact that they didn’t know how to operate the rescue vessel? Can the minister guarantee the safety of Australian submariners, even though the contractor who is supposed to provide rescue services cannot operate the rescue vessel properly?