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

I move:

That the Senate take note of answers given by the Minister representing the Minister for Defence (Senator Wong) to questions without notice I asked today relating to Australian defence technology capabilities.

The history of Aussie innovation is something every Australian can be proud of. The Aboriginal inventor David Unaipon is on the $50 note. Amongst many other things, he invented the centrifugal motor. Tasmanian brothers Edward and Don Both invented the humidicrib in the late 1930s. And in the 1950s, Dr David Warren invented the black box. And we punch above our weight in military innovation too, from drones to Hawkeis to Bushmasters to name a few.

Australian defence technology capabilities are world leading. Just last night, during a defence industry event, I was reminded of the kind of innovation that is going on. I chatted to a Tassie company that is making camouflage webbing that holds a soldier's heat signature. These guys employ scores of Tasmanians, and they make great gear that is sought after overseas. I spoke to another company that had set up in the UK because it's easier to sell their product in Europe than it is to our own people, our own government here.

Most of the businesses I spoke to last night said that Defence only wants to work with the primes. There's your problem: they're called 'the primes'. The primes are the multinationals, companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing. Basically, the primes are the big boys on the block. They're the headkickers, hogging all the contracts and getting all the cash. That's what they do. They decide who's going to get a contract and who's not.

This is getting beyond ridiculous. Why isn't the Australian government giving our Aussie companies a seat at the table? How will we build our sovereign capability if we aren't investing in these innovative Aussie companies, Australian companies who employ and train Australians? And I thought this government wanted to make Australia make again.

I have to be honest with you: these primes are becoming a problem. They have been building up. They're getting way too big and they're deciding who's going to get on the block and who's not. It's becoming jobs for mates with these guys. That is the truth of the matter. You need to get on to these primes before I put forward a motion to have them checked out, to get people in and to drag them down. There's a significant problem between who wants a contract and the primes.

Question agreed to.