Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I again refer to the government's decision to appoint an expert advisory panel to oversee your sham competitive evaluation process for submarines. I also refer to reports that industry representatives have wondered how this process can possibly be fair, with one CEO saying: 'It looks to me like the decision might already have been made. This whole process clearly favours Japan.' Minister, is he correct?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The simple fact is that the unnamed source is incorrect. That which motivates this government is not trying to do a deal or not do a deal with Japan. What motivates this government is getting the best defence materiel that this nation can possibly get—

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Because the deal has been done.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron!

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to serve the defence needs of our nation whilst also serving the best interest of the Australian taxpayer. So, what we want is quality submarines—

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Built in Japan.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

at a reasonable price.

Senator Cameron interjecting—

What Senator Cameron is championing is that if those two factors come into play it must be in Japan. We have not come to that conclusion. What we have said is that we want to socialise this with a number of countries such as—as I understand it, and I will correct the record if need be, and possibly Senator Brandis can help—Germany, France and Japan. They are on the list, and we are looking to see the very best result that we can get, keeping in mind that it was the Australian Labor Party that, whilst in government for six years, did nothing whatsoever to develop the new generation of submarines that this country needs for its strategic defence. So, having done nothing for six years, they now come into this place pretending to champion the cause of Australian-made submarines.

If Senator Conroy and his colleagues before him had done the right thing, this process would have been well and truly in place, and indeed building should have been commencing. But, when we came into government, we realised that the promises that the Labor Party had made about how far they had gone down the road were shallow, hollow and untrue. (Time expired)

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Is retired commodore Terrance Roach correct when he says: 'If we don't build the submarines—design and build the submarines—here, they'll be much more difficult to sustain them in the future'?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not pretend to be an expert in relation to that particular aspect of the assertion made by the gentleman to whom Senator Conroy refers. However, I repeat that what we want is the best possible platform for Australia's defensive strategic needs at the best possible value for money—and, of course, trying to get as many Australian jobs as possible. Indeed, as the Prime Minister has said—

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As possible. As possible.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On my left!

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Conroy says, 'As possible.' Well, we deal in possibilities; Labor deal in impossibilities, in fantasies. That is why they went to South Australia saying they had done all this work on the submarine program when they had done zilch—nothing whatsoever. And that is the mess we are cleaning up, like we did with your Australia Network and the NBN. (Time expired)

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Will the minister confirm the government's commitment before the last election to build 12 submarines in Adelaide? And will the Prime Minister support Labor's bipartisan approach to build those submarines and maintain and sustain our next generation of submarines here in Australia and reverse his captain's pick to build our next fleet of submarines in Japan?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is very difficult to try to do anything with the Labor Party on a bipartisan basis because the loyalty they pledge and declare to their own leaders is thrown out the door at a whim, as Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard can both testify to. So, when Senator Conroy comes into this place, hand on heart, saying, 'Trust me; trust me; we will be true on this occasion,' I pick up the phone to Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard and say, 'Are these people worthy of my trust?' and they tell me no.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order, and it is on relevance. The key issue in this question was: will the government meet its commitment to build the 12 submarines in Adelaide? That is the issue, nothing more, nothing less.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. On the point of order, Senator Abetz?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, once again Senator Cameron, like his leader before him yesterday, tries to reinvent the question. The question also asked whether or not we would join in Labor's bipartisan pledge, and of course that is to what I was responding.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, have you concluded your answer?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have indeed.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Edwards and Senator Conr—Senator Cameron. Senator Cameron!

An honourable senator: A Freudian slip, Mr President!

It was very Freudian! Senator Bernardi on a point of order?

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I have a question.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not going to call you at the moment, Senator Bernardi.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But no-one else is seeking the call. Nobody else is seeking the call, Mr President.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Bernardi! The common practice in question time is that I normally indicate—

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But, if they are asleep, Mr President, I am allowed to seek the call.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, that is not the case, Senator Bernardi. I was not going to call the next questioner until there was order in the chamber.

Honourable senators interjecting—

And I am still waiting. Order on both sides! Thank you.