Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Molan, unfortunately I am all too aware. The contrast between the coalition and Labor's record on naval shipbuilding could not be starker. Defence was an unacceptable casualty of Labor's appalling economic and budget management. Defence spending fell to 1.56 per cent of GDP in the 2012-13 budget, the lowest level of defence expenditure since 1938, with $18 billion ripped out of defence. Labor delayed the program to replace Navy's Collins class submarines, risking a capability gap. In six years, Labor did not commission a single Australian built naval vessel. The shipbuilding valley of death was Labor's own valley of death. Those opposite harp on about local content, but let me remind you that 100 per cent of zero, which is your record, is still zero. By contrast— (Time expired)