Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given that the supply ships are worth up to $2 billion and all that work will go overseas under the current tender arrangements, and shipbuilders say that they could be part of at least a hybrid build so that hundreds of millions of dollars worth of work can take place here, why won't the government consider that in the context of allowing Australian industry to participate, as they have told me they can, so that we can stem the loss of critical skills and jobs in this sector?