Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is always a pleasure to be in the chamber when Senator Cameron makes a contribution. He often reminds me of those big storms out west. They start with a lot of promise and a big build-up of dark clouds and they end up just being wind. They have no ideas, no reflection on why the shipbuilding industry finds itself in this position—nothing, just empty wind. There is a further term, but the standing orders apparently prevent me from finishing the sentence.

Let us open with this question: in the six years Labor was in government, how many naval vessels did you commission? Just run it out—naval vessels. The answer would be none. I have not heard the opposition, in their contributions, making reference to why some of these companies find themselves in this position. If you do not want to listen to our contribution, let us go back to the Newcastle Trades Hall Council secretary, Daniel Wallace—I am assuming that you are in concert with Mr Wallace in relation to his observations. He said that the unions and shipbuilding firms had been warning about the valley of death since Labor was in power. The valley of death they made reference to was the—