Submarine Technology Conference

Ms VLAHOS (Taylor) (15:10): My question is for the Acting Minister for Defence Industries. Can the minister advise the house about the Submarine Institute of Australia's Technology Conference being held in Adelaide this week?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (15:10): It's not on the internet. I thank the member for Taylor, who is also the parliamentary secretary to the Premier, for this very important question. As members might be aware, the Premier this morning officially opened the Submarine Institute of Australia's 3^rd Technology Conference. The conference is being held in Adelaide until 19 November and this year's theme is 'The Future Submarine: Australia's greatest science, technology and engineering challenge'.

The conference aims to stimulate discussions on the political and strategic environment in which Australia's submarine capability must navigate. It is anticipated approximately 200 delegates will attend from defence, industry and academia. Strong international representation is expected from Japan, France and Germany, with each competitive evaluation process participant delivering an address to delegates about their approach to SEA1000. The importance of the Future Submarine project must not be underestimated. It has the potential to transform our industrial base and provide jobs for decades to come.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I thought this was a bipartisan issue. Obviously, the opposition are changing their tack on this particular issue. I did think it had bipartisan support but, by the sound of the noise coming from the Leader of the Opposition, it would appear that that apparently is not the case.

We have the talent, we have the facilities and we have the determination to successfully build the entire fleet of future submarines here in South Australia, the defence state. The South Australian government has invested over $300 million in state-owned infrastructure at Techport Australia to develop a world-class maritime industrial precinct. Already home to the $8 billion air warfare destroyer project, the multibillion dollar Collins class submarine sustainment contract and the confirmed consolidation site for the Future Submarine project, Techport Australia is indisputably the nation's premier naval shipbuilding hub.

I look forward to attending the conference dinner on behalf of the Minister for Defence Industries this evening with the member for Taylor, the parliamentary secretary, and I wish delegates a very successful conference.