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

I thank Senator Fawcett very much for his question and his long-term interest in the question of naval shipbuilding in Australia and defence issues more generally. Today the Prime Minister and I have announced a number of very significant decisions that will secure a sustainable long-term Australian naval shipbuilding industry. The decisions announced today will provide for two shipyards to implement the government's commitment to a continuous build of naval surface ships in Australia. We have announced that the construction of the offshore patrol vessels will begin in Adelaide and Henderson in 2018 to bridge the gap between the end of the Air Warfare Destroyer Program and the start of the future frigates, which the government has indicated will commence in 2020. Austal has been selected as the preferred tenderer to construct up to 21 Pacific patrol boats and, subject to negotiations, will begin construction in early 2017 in Henderson.

The government has also announced the downselect or short list for the designs of both the offshore patrol vessels and the future frigates. The government's continuous naval shipbuilding strategy will ensure that Australia as a nation retains a sovereign capability to build and sustain its naval vessels, securing thousands of shipbuilding jobs for decades to come.

Senator Cameron and Senator Edwards interjecting—