Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, we did miss Senator Conroy, but I do understand the busyness of his role. The observation that I think it is important to make about the offshore patrol vessel competitive evaluation process is that it is underway. When the offshore patrol vessels and the future frigates were announced—they were brought forward on 4 August 2015, as I recall—it was made very clear in that announcement that the future frigates would be built in Adelaide and that the offshore patrol vessels competitive evaluation process did not specify location. We have been through this relentlessly in estimates and in extraordinary detail, specifically for the benefit of Senator Conroy. He apparently has chosen to ignore that.

Let me explore this little observation by one of Senator Conroy's colleagues. This was actually said on 4 August 2014. It was said, 'This naval shipbuilding contract— (Time expired)