Alex Gallacher (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer the minister to Mr Mark Thomson of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, ASPI, who said, 'competition gives you the ability to negotiate the best price, ensures you get the submarine you need with the best technologies we can afford and also enables you to get the best on-through life-support.' Why is the minister ignoring industry and defence experts when it comes to such a vital defence acquisition?