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, Senator Johnston. I refer to the government's plans to break its pre-election promise to build 12 new submarines in Adelaide and instead buy them from Japan. Is the minister aware that two former submarine commanders, Rear Admiral Peter Briggs and Commodore Terence Roche, have criticised this plan? They said:

… little consideration seems to have been given to the suitability of Japanese-designed submarines to meet Australia's requirements …

What does the Prime Minister and the defence minister know that these submarine experts don't?