Techport Australia

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (14:37): Supplementary, Mr Speaker: given that the minister said, 'We are ready to go at Techport', can the minister advise the house what the estimated costs of upgrading Techport are so that we can attract naval shipbuilding to Adelaide?

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) (14:38): Because we are very responsible economic managers on this side, I will wait with bated breath for tomorrow's white paper to see whether the Coalition has dudded South Australia, work carefully through the issues, and then we will come forward with a very considered proposal about what we can do to ensure we have the infrastructure in place to build whatever it is they offer us tomorrow. What we won't do is get up in parliament today, before we even know whether we are going to get the work, and start going on about what we plan to do at Techport, because—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: Mr Speaker, I take from the line of questioning—there is $250 billion to be spent over the next 30 years on naval shipbuilding and sustainment. I take it from the question that he thinks if we offer $50,000 to extend Techport, that might tip the decision. I am sure the Coalition will be running at us to sign up. It is a very considered process. It is a very deliberate process. It is the most important decision this state has faced in a manufacturing sense since World War II. It must be the right decision, and I hope the Coalition get there.

Mr PENGILLY: Point of order: sir, can I ask you to rule on whether the minister should be referring to the member for Stuart as 'the member for Stuart' and not as 'he'?

The SPEAKER: No, you are allowed to use pronouns all the time I have been here. Although I haven't warned or called to order any members of the opposition because of the minister's propensity to debate the matter, that doesn't give licence to members of the government to interject. Accordingly, I call to order the Treasurer. The member for Mount Gambier.