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

I am not going to again comment on an FOI decision that was made by the Department of Defence, and you should not and would not expect me to, Senator Xenophon. But I can very clearly assure the Senate that the future frigates will be built in Adelaide, with Australian workers and with Australian steel, and we will create a sovereign, continuous naval shipbuilding industry. The Adelaide shipbuilding workforce in Osborne is already undertaking vitally important work. They have built up extensive experience and skills in the build of the air warfare destroyer, and I congratulate each and every one of them on what they do and continue to do on the AWD program. They will be very keen indeed to know of our commitment to a continuous naval shipbuilding capability based in Adelaide—indeed, as the naval shipbuilding plan sets out, as the Defence white paper plan sets out, as the request for tender sets out, as our infrastructure upgrade shows, as our purchase of Techport shows and as our development of the naval shipbuilding shows: all in Adelaide. The evidence stands there. (Time expired)