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

Isn't it fabulous that the government has people like Senator Reynolds and Senator Fawcett, with long-term expertise and interest in defence issues, to pursue these matters in the chamber. As I said a little earlier, the Turnbull government's continuous build strategy will secure a long-term naval shipbuilding industry in Australia in Adelaide and in Western Australia. The government has announced today that up to 10 of the 12 offshore patrol vessels which will replace the Armidale Class Patrol Boats will be constructed in Henderson in Western Australia, after a start-up, as I said, in South Australia, securing around 400 long-term jobs in Western Australia in the shipbuilding industry. Over the long term, that will support the commencement of a continuous build of these sorts of naval vessels at Henderson.

The government has also announced that Austal Ships in Henderson in Western Australia is the preferred tenderer to design and construct up to 21 steel-hulled Pacific Patrol Boats. Subject to those contract negotiations being finalised, this decision will secure over 100 naval shipbuilding jobs at Austal Ships, ensuring that those skills and experience are retained in Western Australia. Those decisions show that the government is actually getting on with the job of ensuring that the Australian naval shipbuilding industry is strong, is sustainable, and will be consistent, so that we avoid that boom-bust cycle that we have experienced in the past. Our approach, which is about securing jobs and investment while providing the navy with the capability it needs, is in stark contrast to those opposite, who sat on their hands for six years and did nothing to secure the jobs of shipbuilding workers in Western Australia—or anywhere else in our nation, for that matter. Nowhere in our nation did they place one single contract to build ships in Australia. Not one! Not once!