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

I thank Senator Carr for his question. Most certainly, the issue of job losses in any industry, in any business, is always a matter of concern to government and to industry as well. The workers at ASC have been doing a significantly important job, particularly in the construction of the air warfare destroyers and the delivery of those vessels. They have been doing that job based on the last orders which were placed for vessels into the ASC shipyard which, of course, were placed by a coalition government.

In the six years in which those opposite were in the position of government in this country, they did not commission one single naval vessel. This government is commissioning 54 naval vessels from shipyards in Australia, focused on South Australia—the shipyard to which Senator Carr referred—and Western Australia. If that had not been done, then perhaps Senator Carr could take issue with this government's approach to policy in this matter. However, his approach and the approach of the government of which he was a member—he was the minister for industry, if I recall correctly—was that no work was done in this area whatsoever. In fact, it is known appropriately as Labor's valley of death. It was directed by them; it was authored by them; it was written by them. This government has turned it around, this government has turned around Australia's naval capability and this government will deliver.