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

Unfortunately Senator Conroy's efforts to mischaracterise the statement I made in the Senate in 2015 are completely without foundation. It is a statement of fact that the longer you extend the life of a capability the more it involves greater sustainment costs. They become more expensive to maintain. It does mean that their relative capability declines as newer submarines enter service within our region. That is a statement of fact.