❓ Question regarding the Cook Labor government's support for local shipbuilding and strengthening WA's defence capability. The Minister responds by highlighting recent contracts and investments in the defence sector, while also criticising the Leader of the Opposition's lack of engagement with the issue.
AnsweredQoN 111Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Defence industries—Shipbuilding
111. Mr David Scaife to
the Minister for Defence Industries:
My question relates
to the minister's actual portfolio responsibilities! I refer to the Cook Labor
government's commitment to make more things here and diversify the economy.
(1) Can the minister update the house on how the
Cook Labor government is supporting local shipbuilding and strengthening
Western Australia's sovereign defence capability?
(2) Can the minister advise
the house what this investment will mean for jobs and economic opportunities
for Western Australians?
111. Mr David Scaife to
the Minister for Defence Industries:
My question relates
to the minister's actual portfolio responsibilities! I refer to the Cook Labor
government's commitment to make more things here and diversify the economy.
(1) Can the minister update the house on how the
Cook Labor government is supporting local shipbuilding and strengthening
Western Australia's sovereign defence capability?
(2) Can the minister advise
the house what this investment will mean for jobs and economic opportunities
for Western Australians?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for his
question on my portfolio. It is pretty well known and acknowledged that since
2017 we have been championing the defence sector in Western Australia, looking
to boost opportunity for business and to grow jobs, and we have had incredible
success. Recently, on 20 February, the federal Minister for Defence Industry
was over here announcing a huge leap forward, sitting down with Austal, the
great Western Australian strategic shipbuilder for the nation, to sign a $4 billion
contract for delivery of the landing craft heavy project. That comes on top of
the $1 billion landing craft medium project that it already has. The minister,
Hon Pat Conroy, confirmed at that announcement that in the absolute certainty
that those projects are delivered, Austal will get the Mogami-class
general-purpose frigate, a $10 billion contract, and that will be made in WA—shipbuilding
made in WA.
Following on from that, on the
weekend, the government, the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia; Minister for
Defence, announced another big move with respect to opportunity for the sector
in Western Australia, with confirmation that Bechtel is going to be the
appointed design services consultancy to do the design work of the defence
precinct in Western Australia. We know from the Prime Minister having come over
recently to announce, I think, a $12 billion downpayment on a $25 billion
project, that that is a massive, massive project. In the event that it disrupts
and displaces—I do not know whether it will or not—the common
user facility that we use for non-defence activity, there is potentially
another $5 billion worth of work in construction in Western Australia.
These
things have elicited a lot of commentary. You cannot go anywhere without
hearing the Premier, naturally, talking about it, because, of course, it is
made in WA; it is right in his wheelhouse—forgive the maritime
terminology! He is talking about that all the time. Member for Cockburn, you
cannot shut him up. He is down there with his small businesses. He is there
with the workforce. He knows what it means for Western Australia. It is
endless. The member for Rockingham—the person who has in her electorate
half of the surface fleet of the nation and the entire submarine force—is
leading the taskforce to deal with the local community to ensure that it
understands and witnesses all of the benefits that are to be had. Even the
shadow Minister for Defence Industries, the member for Vasse, is out there
saying good things.
But there is one noted exception
in the field of commentary, someone who is probably known more for commentary
than just about anything else he has ever done. He has been almost entirely
absent from the field when it comes to the defence sector. Because I am a
boomer, I got one of my young staffers to search everything he has produced on
the subject of defence industry–related matters, and it was not a big
body of work. The camera might not be able to pick this up, but it says
"Sorry, there are no media for the current filter." That is a little
awkward, because he is sitting right next to someone he could seek advice from.
He is sitting right next to someone who knows a little about the subject and
has been vocal. But I think, in the lead-up to International Women's Day and
subsequently, we have seen that seeking advice from strong women is not his
strong point. He tends to be going the other way, whether it is welcome or not!
That led me to conclude, Leader of the Opposition, that I should revisit my
analogy of a pastry-like characterisation of you. I think last time I referred
to the Leader of the Opposition being as tough as a cream puff. I do not know
that that is necessarily legitimate anymore.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Minister!
Point of order
Mr Liam Staltari: I ask the member to direct his
comments through the Chair, not directly at the member.
The Speaker: Yes. Minister, through the Chair, please.
Questions without notice resumed
Mr Paul Papalia: I apologise, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, through
you, of course, it was probably a little unfair to suggest a cream puff as an appropriate
descriptor. Perhaps the Leader of the Opposition is more akin to a croissant.
What we are talking about here is a little bit flaky and brittle on the
outside, puffed up and ultimately completely full of hot air!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition! The member for
Kalamunda with the last question.
question on my portfolio. It is pretty well known and acknowledged that since
2017 we have been championing the defence sector in Western Australia, looking
to boost opportunity for business and to grow jobs, and we have had incredible
success. Recently, on 20 February, the federal Minister for Defence Industry
was over here announcing a huge leap forward, sitting down with Austal, the
great Western Australian strategic shipbuilder for the nation, to sign a $4 billion
contract for delivery of the landing craft heavy project. That comes on top of
the $1 billion landing craft medium project that it already has. The minister,
Hon Pat Conroy, confirmed at that announcement that in the absolute certainty
that those projects are delivered, Austal will get the Mogami-class
general-purpose frigate, a $10 billion contract, and that will be made in WA—shipbuilding
made in WA.
Following on from that, on the
weekend, the government, the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia; Minister for
Defence, announced another big move with respect to opportunity for the sector
in Western Australia, with confirmation that Bechtel is going to be the
appointed design services consultancy to do the design work of the defence
precinct in Western Australia. We know from the Prime Minister having come over
recently to announce, I think, a $12 billion downpayment on a $25 billion
project, that that is a massive, massive project. In the event that it disrupts
and displaces—I do not know whether it will or not—the common
user facility that we use for non-defence activity, there is potentially
another $5 billion worth of work in construction in Western Australia.
These
things have elicited a lot of commentary. You cannot go anywhere without
hearing the Premier, naturally, talking about it, because, of course, it is
made in WA; it is right in his wheelhouse—forgive the maritime
terminology! He is talking about that all the time. Member for Cockburn, you
cannot shut him up. He is down there with his small businesses. He is there
with the workforce. He knows what it means for Western Australia. It is
endless. The member for Rockingham—the person who has in her electorate
half of the surface fleet of the nation and the entire submarine force—is
leading the taskforce to deal with the local community to ensure that it
understands and witnesses all of the benefits that are to be had. Even the
shadow Minister for Defence Industries, the member for Vasse, is out there
saying good things.
But there is one noted exception
in the field of commentary, someone who is probably known more for commentary
than just about anything else he has ever done. He has been almost entirely
absent from the field when it comes to the defence sector. Because I am a
boomer, I got one of my young staffers to search everything he has produced on
the subject of defence industry–related matters, and it was not a big
body of work. The camera might not be able to pick this up, but it says
"Sorry, there are no media for the current filter." That is a little
awkward, because he is sitting right next to someone he could seek advice from.
He is sitting right next to someone who knows a little about the subject and
has been vocal. But I think, in the lead-up to International Women's Day and
subsequently, we have seen that seeking advice from strong women is not his
strong point. He tends to be going the other way, whether it is welcome or not!
That led me to conclude, Leader of the Opposition, that I should revisit my
analogy of a pastry-like characterisation of you. I think last time I referred
to the Leader of the Opposition being as tough as a cream puff. I do not know
that that is necessarily legitimate anymore.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Minister!
Point of order
Mr Liam Staltari: I ask the member to direct his
comments through the Chair, not directly at the member.
The Speaker: Yes. Minister, through the Chair, please.
Questions without notice resumed
Mr Paul Papalia: I apologise, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, through
you, of course, it was probably a little unfair to suggest a cream puff as an appropriate
descriptor. Perhaps the Leader of the Opposition is more akin to a croissant.
What we are talking about here is a little bit flaky and brittle on the
outside, puffed up and ultimately completely full of hot air!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition! The member for
Kalamunda with the last question.
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