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

Those decisions won't be required for some time, and what we'll do in that process is to ensure how the efficient and effective construction of the future submarine fleet can best proceed concurrently with ongoing sustainment activities for a Collins fleet. That's a perfectly reasonable position for a government to take.

But I would note, in passing—or 'en passant', if we want to talk about matters French and submarines—that Senator Patrick has a completely different view. Let me quote: 'Finally, the sustainment operations must be moved to Western Australia, where the submarine force operates from. And if and when we have submarines home based in the east—Sydney or Newcastle—supporting submarine sustainment out of the Adelaide site, 2,600 kilometres from where the submarine force operates, isn't smart. It is disruptive to the crews, time consuming, costly to the Navy and against the recommendations of Cole, who found that ASC in the west was much more outcome focused.'

Now, Senator Patrick might have made up his mind about Collins class sustainment, but the government will consider the requirements of sustainment, of capability and of the development of the future submarines and make decisions in due course, because that's the wise and smart thing for a government to do.