Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to Senator Smith, from the great state of South Australia, for her question about defence and defence industry jobs. I am pleased to say, in response to her question, that the government is making considerable progress. The Prime Minister was invited by President Biden for a state visit last month, and that visit was followed shortly by the Deputy Prime Minister. Both had successful engagements to drive our AUKUS partnership forward. Since announcing the pathway to acquire nuclear powered submarines, the Albanese government has taken tangible actions to implement the AUKUS partnership, including the investment of $150 million in skills and workforce development in the May budget; establishing the Australian Submarine Agency on 1 July; and commencing initial works on the submarine construction yard in our home state of South Australia—meaning mine and Senator Smith's, not everybody's.

Last week in Adelaide, the Deputy Prime Minister announced further decisive steps with Premier Malinauskas. The South Australian defence industry workforce and skills report, which helps identify how we can best develop the defence industry workforce in South Australia, was released; the land exchange between the Commonwealth and South Australian governments was finalised; and the government has released an exposure draft of enabling legislation critical for establishing a seamless industrial base with our AUKUS partners. At the heart of this legislation are game-changing reformers for the Australian defence industry, which should see the removal of burdensome red tape with the United Kingdom and the United States. As Deputy Prime Minister Marles has made clear, establishing a shared industrial base between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom is a core part of AUKUS. This is the greatest industrial endeavour Australia has embarked on for decades, and it will see jobs and economic investment for generations to come.