Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence. Following the minister's recent trip to Japan with the Foreign Minister, the Foreign Minister was quoted in The Australian newspaper as saying that discussions with the Japanese government included 'the prospect of purchasing even an entire submarine'. Will the minister rule out the purchase of submarines from Japan for Australia's future submarine fleet, or are you afraid to contradict your protector, Ms Bishop?