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

Give it a try. What we have here is a commercial decision by VAE, and they are entitled to do that. I understand a little about commerce, but their decision has to do with six years under the Labor government when there was shipbuilding inaction—that is the term to be used—and, again, going back to Wallace and the valley of death.

This government is committed to supporting a productive and cost-effective naval shipbuilding industry in this country. We are prepared to invest in the skills and knowledge base of the Australian naval shipbuilding industry. We are prepared to commit to a long-term investment to ensure the industry enjoys a future in Australia—and these things take time. The absolute only explanation Labor could give for their inaction for six years was 'preparation for an industry'. Of course, that was not happening. It takes time for these matters to go through. We will lay out a clear, fully funded plan for a strong and secure Australia in this space.

Joel Fitzgibbon did nothing for shipbuilding in this country when he was the defence minister and he certainly did nothing to send more work down the pipeline for Australian shipbuilders, including those in Newcastle. I will mention here, Senator Conroy, so sit quietly: during the six years of Labor, where were you; where was Daniel Andrews; and where was Jay Weatherill? Why didn't they lobby their federal colleagues at the point when, as they were advised by Defence, critical decisions needed to be made?

Here we are now with a board full of revisionists wanting to visit on why these difficulties exist in the shipbuilding industry and accepting no responsibility whatsoever. We know why nothing was happening in this space: because Labor were too busy dismantling the great economic situation they were left with after the John Howard government. They even acknowledged the need for urgent decisions to be made in the 2009 and 2013 Defence white papers that they published but they did nothing. By making no decisions, Labor willingly put shipbuilding jobs at risk. Such is their disregard for proper processes that, under Labor, the 2012 and 2013 Defence capability plans were never even considered or approved by the National Security Committee.

There will be more contributions here. I imagine Senator Conroy will be next. It will be interesting for him to lay down why all this inaction occurred in the six years under Labor, whilst our economy was being dismantled and put in its weakest position in the history of this place. They should accept personal responsibility for the fact that these jobs are now under threat. Had they been active during their period in the term, we would have had, and would continue to have, a vibrant shipbuilding industry in this nation.