Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

Can I update the hapless Deputy Leader of the Opposition and point out to him a statement made by Senator Edwards to this place only a matter of, I assume, less than an hour or so ago. It said:

The assurance I sought—

the one from the Prime Minister—

was very simple. I asked for Australian companies like the ASC to have the right to compete for the Future Submarines project on merit. That is the very assurance I got, and that is the very assurance that stands today.

Having been asked this question by Senator Conroy, who is, allegedly, ventilating concern about the submarine project for Australia, can I simply say that for six years nothing occurred. In one of the great master understatements—the master understatement ever—Senator Conroy himself admitted that the submarine project did not go as fast as everybody wanted. Can I tell you: it did not go at any speed.