Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Johnston. I remind the minister that he justified his decision to exclude Australian shipbuilders from tendering to build Australia's new supply ships by saying, 'Construction of these ships is simply beyond Australian industry.' Is the minister aware that the Senate committee inquiry into the future of the naval shipbuilding industry has heard evidence that shipyards in Brisbane and Adelaide could handle the build and fit-out of the ships, with minimal new investment? Will the minister now apologise to the Australian shipbuilding industry and the thousands of workers employed in it for his incorrect, outrageous and derogatory statement?