❓ Mr. Scaife inquires about the McGowan government's role in the Commonwealth's dry dock commitment in WA and its impact on WA jobs. The Minister highlights the McGowan government's advocacy and investment in the defence industry.
AnsweredQoN 117Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AUSTRALIAN MARINE COMPLEX
— DRY DOCK
117. Mr D.A.E. SCAIFE to the Minister for Defence Industry:
I refer to the commonwealth
government's announcement today of its commitment to build a dry dock
in Western Australia. Can the minister inform the house of the role the McGowan
Labor government has had in this decision by the commonwealth government, and
can the minister advise the house what the years of planning, preparation and investment by the McGowan Labor
government at the Australian Marine Complex means for WA jobs?
— DRY DOCK
117. Mr D.A.E. SCAIFE to the Minister for Defence Industry:
I refer to the commonwealth
government's announcement today of its commitment to build a dry dock
in Western Australia. Can the minister inform the house of the role the McGowan
Labor government has had in this decision by the commonwealth government, and
can the minister advise the house what the years of planning, preparation and investment by the McGowan Labor
government at the Australian Marine Complex means for WA jobs?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question
and for his wholehearted advocacy on behalf of the defence industry in Western Australia,
and particularly in his electorate.
The
fact is that before the McGowan government came to power in 2017, Western Australia
had no voice in the national defence
debate. There was no representative agency within government that had the sole
responsibility of advocating for the
defence industry. We fixed that. We created Defence West, we appointed a defence
advocate and we recruited a defence industry advisory forum to push
forward advocacy of the defence industry in Western Australia. We did that in
2017. In 2018, we commissioned a retired major general, Jeff Sengelman, to
compile a Western Australian defence and defence industries strategic plan ,
which he did in conjunction with the office of the then Minister for Defence,
Christopher Pyne. That was the first time that collaboration had occurred, and
it was solely a result of this government's initiative. That strategy
led to us releasing a strategic infrastructure and land use plan for the
Australian Marine Complex in 2020. That plan identified the need for a graving
dock in Western Australia, in accordance with the Department of Defence's 2020 Defence strategic update . That was again done in collaboration with
the federal government and looked at the strategic needs of the nation, Western
Australia and its industry, and identified the need for a dry dock. Since that
time, we have invested over $190 million in upgrades to the AMC on top of previous investments of $300 million,
mostly by Labor governments in Western Australia, to create the
world-class facility of the Australian Marine Complex. In addition, we have
committed over $18 million to support WA industries to develop the workforce
needed to deliver the equipment needs of the Australian Defence Force. The
McGowan government is absolutely committed to ensuring that Australia has the
best possible Defence Force equipped with the best possible equipment, and the Western
Australian defence industry is right behind it by ensuring the best support to
our Defence Force.
What happened with this dry dock
initiative is that for the last two years, Defence West has been working with
the Department of Defence, the Navy and the office of the Minister for Defence
Industry on the proposal. I am very glad to acknowledge and commend the federal
government's announcement. I think the $4.3 billion figure may be a little
elevated; I suspect the federal government may have rolled in previous
announcements of funding that is already underway at HMAS Stirling —normal
course of event–type expenditure on the expansion of the facilities at
HMAS Stirling . Nevertheless, it is wonderful to see the commitment by
the federal government and I look forward, with Defence West and Western Australian
public servants, on delivering a strategic asset for the nation.
and for his wholehearted advocacy on behalf of the defence industry in Western Australia,
and particularly in his electorate.
The
fact is that before the McGowan government came to power in 2017, Western Australia
had no voice in the national defence
debate. There was no representative agency within government that had the sole
responsibility of advocating for the
defence industry. We fixed that. We created Defence West, we appointed a defence
advocate and we recruited a defence industry advisory forum to push
forward advocacy of the defence industry in Western Australia. We did that in
2017. In 2018, we commissioned a retired major general, Jeff Sengelman, to
compile a Western Australian defence and defence industries strategic plan ,
which he did in conjunction with the office of the then Minister for Defence,
Christopher Pyne. That was the first time that collaboration had occurred, and
it was solely a result of this government's initiative. That strategy
led to us releasing a strategic infrastructure and land use plan for the
Australian Marine Complex in 2020. That plan identified the need for a graving
dock in Western Australia, in accordance with the Department of Defence's 2020 Defence strategic update . That was again done in collaboration with
the federal government and looked at the strategic needs of the nation, Western
Australia and its industry, and identified the need for a dry dock. Since that
time, we have invested over $190 million in upgrades to the AMC on top of previous investments of $300 million,
mostly by Labor governments in Western Australia, to create the
world-class facility of the Australian Marine Complex. In addition, we have
committed over $18 million to support WA industries to develop the workforce
needed to deliver the equipment needs of the Australian Defence Force. The
McGowan government is absolutely committed to ensuring that Australia has the
best possible Defence Force equipped with the best possible equipment, and the Western
Australian defence industry is right behind it by ensuring the best support to
our Defence Force.
What happened with this dry dock
initiative is that for the last two years, Defence West has been working with
the Department of Defence, the Navy and the office of the Minister for Defence
Industry on the proposal. I am very glad to acknowledge and commend the federal
government's announcement. I think the $4.3 billion figure may be a little
elevated; I suspect the federal government may have rolled in previous
announcements of funding that is already underway at HMAS Stirling —normal
course of event–type expenditure on the expansion of the facilities at
HMAS Stirling . Nevertheless, it is wonderful to see the commitment by
the federal government and I look forward, with Defence West and Western Australian
public servants, on delivering a strategic asset for the nation.
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