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

I was not consulted. I'm not aware of whether Minister Pyne was consulted or not. I will take that on notice.

This is slightly bemusing for a government minister who is trying to ensure that we are delivering a capability to the Royal Australian Navy that will enable us to have to have a regionally superior submarine and that will deliver thousands of jobs across Australia, as I just indicated to you in my previous answer—and you know that very well, Senator. You might have held the view that you had when you wrote in the Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter that it should definitely be moved. You might have held that view. You might hold that view now. Perhaps you are just choosing a different position on a different day of the week. But we will make up our minds based on capability, based on sustainment, based on what is best for the Royal Australian Navy and based on what is best for jobs across Australia.