❓ Mrs Marshall asks about AUKUS's impact on WA's economy and bipartisan support. The Minister responds by highlighting AUKUS's benefits, criticising the opposition's stance, and questioning their leadership.
AnsweredQoN 646Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
State economy—Diversification—Defence
industries
646. Mrs Magenta Marshall to the Minister for
Defence Industries:
Thank you, Mr
Speaker! I refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to diversifying the
Western Australian economy so that it remains the strongest in the nation.
(1) Can the minister inform the house how AUKUS
will strengthen our nation's defence capability and boost Western Australian
jobs?
(2) Can the minister confirm whether there is
still bipartisan support for AUKUS at all levels of politics?
industries
646. Mrs Magenta Marshall to the Minister for
Defence Industries:
Thank you, Mr
Speaker! I refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to diversifying the
Western Australian economy so that it remains the strongest in the nation.
(1) Can the minister inform the house how AUKUS
will strengthen our nation's defence capability and boost Western Australian
jobs?
(2) Can the minister confirm whether there is
still bipartisan support for AUKUS at all levels of politics?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for her question and make the observation that she undermined her credibility
as a pace bowler when I asked what type of bowling and she said, "The one
that goes over like that." It is a bit like the Leader of the House. He
looks like that on social media.
(1)–(2) As we know, the acquisition of
nuclear-powered and nuclear-attack submarines is the single biggest uplift in
defence capability in the nation's history. They have unlimited range and an unlimited
capacity for endurance—with the exception of feeding the crew—and
incredible stealth. Once our submarines get beyond the continental shelf and go
subsurface, you will not know where they are. They could be anywhere in the
world, extending power and acting on our behalf to represent national interests.
That is an incredible uplift in capability.
We have backed it in from the
moment it was announced by the Morrison government. For Western Australia, of
course, it means enormous opportunities for our businesses and industries in
supporting and sustaining those nuclear submarines when we get them. Right now,
we are getting into the American and British supply chains, something that has
never been possible. As for the American nuclear-powered submarines and nuclear
aircraft carrier supply chains, our small businesses are getting jobs and
opportunities in that endeavour right now. Pillar 2 of AUKUS enables all sorts
of other opportunities.
Until recently, I thought that all
that was acknowledged and supported by both sides of politics at federal and
state levels. On 27 October, Gary Adshead had the Leader of the Opposition on
his radio show, and he put this to him. He said that a story by Jessica Page
had popped up in The West Australian about one of the opposition
MPs, Mr Jonathan Huston, who is a former Army intelligence officer and now member
for Nedlands. I am always tempted to utilise that long-acknowledged joke that "Army
intelligence" is an oxymoron, but that was an observation. Gary Adshead said
that Jonathan Huston had put out a two-page paper entitled "AUKUS: Case
against". To hear that that had occurred was an extraordinary thing, and
the Leader of the Opposition robustly responded. There was a monologue
explaining that the Liberal Party is a broad church and people say all sorts of
things. Then he asked, "Did he release it as the Liberal MP for Nedlands?
What guise was it under? Do you know?" The Leader of the Opposition then said,
"Like many of us, Jonathan is an inexperienced MP."
I am wondering whether that was
in the Leader of the Opposition's pitch for leadership when he knifed the member
for Vasse. He said, "I'm also an inexperienced MP." The Leader of the
Opposition said this. This particular incident gives us an opportunity. Sitting
side by side—compare the pair—we have the member for Vasse and
the current Leader of the Opposition. What did the member for Vasse do about Hon
Nick Goiran in the upper house? She kicked him out of the shadow cabinet
because he was an unrepentant co-leader of "The Clan". What has the
current leader done? He has invited him back in. Then, he has lost control. For
anything that comes through the lower house, we have done some work, working
with the opposition to try to get bipartisan support for legislation.
Increasingly, legislation leaves this place unanimously supported and goes 50 metres
to the other side of the building where anything can happen. With Hon Nick
Goiran, it is just random. The Liberal Party there is a different beast
altogether. We do not know what it is going to do. I understand that 50 metres
is a long way. Maybe it is a little too far for the Leader of the Opposition to
exercise his authority on the bloke in the upper house. I have to say that the
guy sitting two seats behind him should be within his control. I think that
this is an incredible opportunity for the Leader the Opposition to demonstrate
some leadership, and we will be watching.
The more it occurs that the
Leader of the Opposition and the member for Vasse sit side by side, I compare
the pair. I reckon the member for Vasse demonstrated that she was a tough
leader by comparison with the cream puff beside her!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Thank you. The member for
Nedlands with the last question.
for her question and make the observation that she undermined her credibility
as a pace bowler when I asked what type of bowling and she said, "The one
that goes over like that." It is a bit like the Leader of the House. He
looks like that on social media.
(1)–(2) As we know, the acquisition of
nuclear-powered and nuclear-attack submarines is the single biggest uplift in
defence capability in the nation's history. They have unlimited range and an unlimited
capacity for endurance—with the exception of feeding the crew—and
incredible stealth. Once our submarines get beyond the continental shelf and go
subsurface, you will not know where they are. They could be anywhere in the
world, extending power and acting on our behalf to represent national interests.
That is an incredible uplift in capability.
We have backed it in from the
moment it was announced by the Morrison government. For Western Australia, of
course, it means enormous opportunities for our businesses and industries in
supporting and sustaining those nuclear submarines when we get them. Right now,
we are getting into the American and British supply chains, something that has
never been possible. As for the American nuclear-powered submarines and nuclear
aircraft carrier supply chains, our small businesses are getting jobs and
opportunities in that endeavour right now. Pillar 2 of AUKUS enables all sorts
of other opportunities.
Until recently, I thought that all
that was acknowledged and supported by both sides of politics at federal and
state levels. On 27 October, Gary Adshead had the Leader of the Opposition on
his radio show, and he put this to him. He said that a story by Jessica Page
had popped up in The West Australian about one of the opposition
MPs, Mr Jonathan Huston, who is a former Army intelligence officer and now member
for Nedlands. I am always tempted to utilise that long-acknowledged joke that "Army
intelligence" is an oxymoron, but that was an observation. Gary Adshead said
that Jonathan Huston had put out a two-page paper entitled "AUKUS: Case
against". To hear that that had occurred was an extraordinary thing, and
the Leader of the Opposition robustly responded. There was a monologue
explaining that the Liberal Party is a broad church and people say all sorts of
things. Then he asked, "Did he release it as the Liberal MP for Nedlands?
What guise was it under? Do you know?" The Leader of the Opposition then said,
"Like many of us, Jonathan is an inexperienced MP."
I am wondering whether that was
in the Leader of the Opposition's pitch for leadership when he knifed the member
for Vasse. He said, "I'm also an inexperienced MP." The Leader of the
Opposition said this. This particular incident gives us an opportunity. Sitting
side by side—compare the pair—we have the member for Vasse and
the current Leader of the Opposition. What did the member for Vasse do about Hon
Nick Goiran in the upper house? She kicked him out of the shadow cabinet
because he was an unrepentant co-leader of "The Clan". What has the
current leader done? He has invited him back in. Then, he has lost control. For
anything that comes through the lower house, we have done some work, working
with the opposition to try to get bipartisan support for legislation.
Increasingly, legislation leaves this place unanimously supported and goes 50 metres
to the other side of the building where anything can happen. With Hon Nick
Goiran, it is just random. The Liberal Party there is a different beast
altogether. We do not know what it is going to do. I understand that 50 metres
is a long way. Maybe it is a little too far for the Leader of the Opposition to
exercise his authority on the bloke in the upper house. I have to say that the
guy sitting two seats behind him should be within his control. I think that
this is an incredible opportunity for the Leader the Opposition to demonstrate
some leadership, and we will be watching.
The more it occurs that the
Leader of the Opposition and the member for Vasse sit side by side, I compare
the pair. I reckon the member for Vasse demonstrated that she was a tough
leader by comparison with the cream puff beside her!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Thank you. The member for
Nedlands with the last question.
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