Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy President, for protecting me from the interjections of Senator Conroy and other members of the Labor Party. These are important issues, but why was nothing done in the six years of the Labor government? I think Senator Conroy is still the Defence spokesman for Labor—I am not sure whether he has been sacked from that job—but if he is still the Defence spokesman perhaps he could tell me whether he did anything about shipbuilding in Australia in the time that he was a minister in that government—I think for all of those six years. There was not one mention of it by the Labor Party or even by Senator Xenophon, as far as I recall—I may be wrong, and I stand to be corrected. It is a very important issue, and I would like an answer from the Labor Party on why they did nothing in six years of government. If they had have done something, then perhaps we would not have the crisis that Senator Xenophon rightly raises now. I see that Senator Gallacher is getting some advice from Senator Xenophon. Perhaps you have got the answer but I, for one, would be very pleased to hear the explanation as to why the Labor Party, after six years in government, did not one thing about any sort of shipbuilding in Australia.

Question agreed to.