FUTURE SUBMARINE PROJECT

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide) (14:30): My question is to the Premier. How important is today's announcement by the Prime Minister on the next stage of the future submarine project to South Australia?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:30): I thank the honourable member for her question, and it is obviously a vital and important decision that was taken today, and I was delighted to hear the Prime Minister committing that $214 million will be provided for the next stage of the future submarine project. The funding will go towards future detailed studies and analysis that will determine the commonwealth government's decision on the design of the future submarine project.

The future submarine project is the largest and most complex defence project ever undertaken in Australia. It is the largest procurement project in Australia's history, and so getting it right is obviously of enormous importance. As this government has previously stated, this project would be equivalent in scale to the Olympic Dam mining expansion and will transform the state's economy, providing enormous opportunities for local industry and jobs for many South Australians for decades to come, and, crucially, providing us with a fantastic platform for advanced manufacturing.

Indeed, I see the member for Taylor there nodding, and so she should, because I was down in a factory in her electorate, Osmoflow, unashamedly an advanced manufacturing enterprise that drew on the very skills that came from the defence industry. I ran into some workers who had come from that very industry. So, that is the sort of knock-on effect it has on the rest of our economy.

This morning, I also reinforced to the Prime Minister the offer of support for the establishment of the Future Submarine Design Centre in Adelaide and, of course, the future onshore testing arrangements. Those are both crucial decisions that will be taken soon and we want to be part of that as well.

The Minister for Defence, Stephen Smith, previously reinforced that the Labor government acquired 12 new submarines to be assembled in South Australia over the next 30 years. The construction value of that set has been priced as high as $36 billion. Whatever the design that they choose, the four options that are left, excluding the nuclear option which has been put off the table, any of those four assembly options here in South Australia will be great. Some will be better than others and we will obviously be advocating very powerfully for the ones that are able to grow a strong manufacturing sector here. We believe that they also happen to be consistent with Australia's strategic defence moves, and I think both sides of the house should join in supporting that position.

However, I am very concerned about the decisions and remarks that have been made by Liberal Coalition members, in particular David Johnston.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Well, this is something that is quite important.

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. The Premier is now entering debate.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has only just started out, but I am listening very carefully to what the Premier says, and I ask him to stick to the rules.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Madam Speaker, this is germane to the future submarine project. The final decision will be taken under the next government, whatever its persuasion, and if we are to believe the published opinion polls, there is a possibility that that could be a Coalition government, so the Coalition spokesperson's expressions of opinion about this matter are very important. What he is saying is that he is hedging about having these subs built overseas. This is a worrying trend. I would invite those opposite, including the Leader of the Opposition, to join with me in calling him to actually commit to—

Mr WILLIAMS: Madam Speaker—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

An honourable member: How is it debate?

Mr WILLIAMS: It is argument.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

Mr WILLIAMS: I thought you knew about argument—

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: —you were talking about it 10 minutes ago.

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader will sit down. The Premier has said that he is asking members opposite, so we will listen to the rest of his comments. He has so far not debated as I can see.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Madam Speaker, this is germane to the future submarines project. We have written—at least the Minister for Defence Industries has written—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —to the senator. Disappointingly, he hasn't received a response yet, I am advised, and this is a project that I think we can join together on, both sides of this house. It is manifestly in the interests of South Australia for future submarines to be designed and assembled here in South Australia, and I would invite those opposite to put aside party politics and act in the state's interest and join with us in advancing this cause on behalf of all South Australians.