George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

We certainly will not be making a declaration to that effect now. That is why we are having a competitive evaluation process—so that all the options can be considered. As you know, Senator Conroy, there are three potential international partners—from Germany, from France and from Japan. And as you know, the competitive evaluation process contemplates that all options are on the table in relation to each of those three potential bidders and it does your argument absolutely no service to come into this chamber and quote the views of one individual, when even you—a very negligent shadow minister, I must say—must know that there are a variety of views among a variety of experts on this subject.

There is one assurance I can give you. We are not going to repeat, with the future Australian submarine project, the disaster of Australian naval shipbuilding bequeathed to us by the government in which you served as a senior member, the government in which, in six years, not one single war ship was commenced—not one—the government in which the only naval acquisition in six years was of a second-hand warship from the Royal Navy, the government in which you allowed the so called 'valley of death' to appear, so that, at the completion of the current shipbuilding programs, begun by the Howard government and delayed under your government, at the earliest date at which the naval shipbuilding program announced by the Prime Minister last Tuesday could be commenced, there will be a sharp decline in the number of people in work—entirely your legacy, Senator Conroy, all your own work. (Time expired)