Techport Australia

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:33): Given that the minister in his answer said that it wouldn't be appropriate to make such an investment until the federal government has made its decision, can he advise the house whether he has asked the Premier to make such an investment in advance of the federal government making its decision and, if so, what was the result of that conversation?

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Minister for Investment and Trade, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:34): The shadow minister would know that no minister is going to get up and discuss deliberations of cabinet or private discussions that they are having with each other or within government. It has been so long, I don't think there's anybody over there who has been in government. They've all gone. They've probably forgotten how it works.

I would simply say this: while the opposition was silent, this government was fighting like crikey for jobs and investment in this state. I will tell you this: if it wasn't for the work that the Premier, myself and others on this side, with industry and the unions, put into that campaign, we would already be contracted to build submarines offshore. You—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: For the Leader of the Opposition and members opposite, we had this argument years ago. I asked you to stand by Holden, and you didn't. I asked you to stand by naval shipbuilding, and you didn't. Stand by South Australian workers and industry!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The minister will be seated. Alas, there are points of order. The member for Florey—can the member for Florey not hear the minister's answer?

Ms BEDFORD: Exactly; I do not know how anyone could have, sir.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I am not sure that the minister has finished. Has the minister finished?

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: I am still going, sir. I am enjoying myself and I would not want to waste the three minutes that I have remaining. Just to explain to members opposite: for those who have been in business, what happens is you have to be very careful about your capital investments when you are in business to make sure that you have the deal flow to sustain that capital investment.

If you overinvest in your business and the deal flow does not churn up, what you are left with is something that you cannot utilise, and your business goes broke. This is how business works; it is not wok-in-a-box economics—I know you are very good at that over there. It is sensible, measured government investment. That is what we do. We are ready to go at Techport, but first we need your side of politics to guarantee, in tomorrow's white paper, that the patrol vessels will be built in South Australia.

We are getting information to us from Canberra that there is a secret plan over there to build those patrol vessels in Perth. The challenge is whether the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Finance in Canberra are out dancing the member for Sturt and Senator Birmingham in Adelaide. Gone are the days of having four solid, experienced ministers from South Australia in the federal government. Gone are Downer, Vanstone, Hill and Minchin. Our champions now are Christopher Pyne and Simon Birmingham. Well, God help us!

If you do not ensure that your federal colleagues build the patrol vessels here, then the frigates and the patrol vessels may go somewhere else, and the submarine work itself will be at risk. That is how important it is. So, if you are proudly crowing that you have had an influence on this, let's see what is in the white paper, because your own party may write the shipbuilding industry into—

The SPEAKER: Point of order, member for Schubert.

Mr KNOLL: The minister is continually refusing to put his remarks through the Chair.

The SPEAKER: Yes; I would ask the minister to direct his diatribe through the Chair. Member for Stuart.