Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Hansard source

Another message I heard—and this doesn't surprise me—from the Australian businesses up there last night was that once AUKUS was announced the money dried up. This appears especially true of those selling to the Army. The few items that they were selling were suddenly not required. Tenders were cancelled. Our own Australian suppliers were left high and dry, often after huge amounts of money had been spent on research and development. Minister, why can't this government see that blocking innovation in the Australian defence industry is weakening our sovereign capabilities and making us less secure?