Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, absolutely. They ran out of napkins. I remind the Senate, and Senator Carr, who came in and bleated today, that 140,000 manufacturing jobs were lost during the time in which he was the minister. I also remind those opposite that Mitsubishi left South Australia under Labor's watch. So don't come in here as the party that gave us the biggest broken promise of all—that is, 'There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead'—and make these assertions.

As the Prime Minister indicated on the weekend—and he wanted to stress this, so I would like to repeat it to those opposite—we will make 'the right decisions for the right reasons'. He said:

Defence acquisitions have to be made on the basis of defence logic; not industry policy, not regional policy, but on the basis of sound defence policy.

He went on to say:

… we have not yet made a final decision on the design and build of the next generation of Australian submarines. But, there will be more of them. The bulk of the Australian work will be done here in Adelaide, and that means more jobs for South Australia. … the best way to help South Australia, the best thing that we can do for South Australia, the best thing that any of us can do for any of the great states of this Commonwealth is to build a stronger economy.

I also refer to comments that Minister Johnston made at an address to the Australian defence industry group— (Time expired)