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

Thank you, Mr Acting Deputy President. Everybody else in this chamber knows that, when the PM starts sending his adviser on trips overseas requiring special permission, the Prime Minister's office and the Prime Minister have no confidence in the minister. To totally bypass the minister clearly demonstrates the Prime Minister and his office's views of the minister.

What we have seen is every expert on submarines in the country, notwithstanding the allegations from the minister that they are on someone's payroll or they have been gone too long and they do not really know what they are talking about—every single expert says the same thing.

There is only one solution to the bias being shown by this minister. There is only one solution to the bias being shown by the Prime Minister in trying to give away this contract to the Japanese government, and that is to hold a proper competitive tender for this procurement. There is no more vital or lethal asset in Australia's defence than this next generation of submarines. For an island nation these submarines are our most lethal asset, and we should not take shortcuts for political expediency because the Prime Minister has had a rush of blood to the head—the same sort of rush of blood to his head as he wanted nuclear subs. You did a good job fending him off on that, Senator Johnston—well done. But on this one, as you know, he is running the submarine tender program from his office. There is no more lethal asset than these submarines, and we must get it right. We must get value for Australian taxpayers. We must hold a proper tender. Senator Edwards agrees, Senator Birmingham agrees, Senator Ruston agrees, the South Australian Liberal senators agree that we have got to have a competitive tender; they understand that, and that is why this minister is so, so shamed today. (Time expired)