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

That is right, Senator—as the Australian Labor Party never did, but they did not need one because they did not begin any ships. They were not going to have a competitive evaluation process about zero ships, which was your legacy, Senator Conroy. The reason we are having a competitive evaluation process is so we can heed the best advice from all of the evidence, not the opinion of one man but the opinion of all experts, so that we may make the decision which is in the best interests of the Australian people, with all three bids on the table, with all options under consideration and all expert opinions, not just one being taken into account. That is the way a competent government deals with a major defence acquisition. But that is not something you would know, Senator Conroy, because there were no defence acquisitions on your watch. (Time expired)