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

Unsurprisingly for Senator McEwen and those opposite, I am not going to canvas the discussions of the National Security Committee in the Senate chamber. But one thing I will do is I will also not apologise for the Australian government's commitment to build our 12 future submarines in Adelaide unequivocally, without dispute in South Australia with Australian jobs, Australian industry and Australian steel.

There is a fundamental difference between us and those opposite and that difference is called decision making. That difference is about making a decision and committing to the future acquisition of the 12 submarines that we need for our strategic capability and that will also engage Australian industry to a point never seen before. That is a decision of which the Turnbull government is justly proud, that is a decision which will create thousands of Australian jobs and that is a decision which will deliver the capability that the Australian Defence Force needs.