Hunter Class Frigate Program

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:11): My question is to the Premier. What is the threshold that must be breached before the Premier is willing to step up and criticise his federal colleagues in relation to shipbuilding in South Australia? With your leave, sir, and that of the house I will explain.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! There is a point of order from the member for West Torrens which I am bound to hear, and I will do so. Member for West Torrens, on a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: There was a lot of debate in that question, sir. I would ask the member to rephrase.

The SPEAKER: Very well. I will permit the leader to rephrase the question.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Is the Premier pursuing every possible avenue to ensure that a full ship build occurs in South Australia? With your leave, sir, and that of the house I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Brent Clark, the chief executive officer of the Australian Industry and Defence Network, has said, in relation to the delay of the program, that 'Australia's defence industry is getting smashed.'

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:12): He is less impressive off script, Mr Speaker, I have to say, because the Leader of the Opposition, if he had paid attention—

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —to the answer to the question he was just given, I have been rather forthright in my critique of the current federal government, as I am of the former federal government when it comes this area of policy. As I said just a few minutes ago—

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta, order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: As I said only a few minutes ago, we are critical of the fact that we were promised the service ship review last year and we are yet to receive it. We are saying to the federal government, 'No more waiting, no more delay, no more reviews. What we need are decisions and funding allocated.'

I was in Canberra on Monday with a group of leaders of the workforce down at Osborne—some union delegates with actual frontline workers who are building these ships—and we were speaking with each other candidly, as we were when I went down to the shipyard late last year and addressed all the workers who were already there. We are not going to leave any stone unturned. I have every bit of willingness required to critique and actively criticise our federal Labor government, which is something that the former government wasn't willing to do, which is why the outcome—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Morialta! Member for Colton, order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition is interjecting in this place, telling people they are proud of what they achieved. What they achieved is a press release.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta, order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: What they achieved is a 500—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is called to order. Order! The member for Morialta is warned.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: What those opposite were able to achieve is a botched naval shipbuilding policy that saw billions of dollars being spent—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is on two warnings.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —on submarines that never got built.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Schubert!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: The masters of those opposite, defence minister Pyne, presided over the single biggest policy failure in naval shipbuilding—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Chaffey!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —this country has ever seen.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: More than that—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is on two warnings.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: No, the former government got rid of the submarine program under Minister Pyne's watch.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey, order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: The member for Morialta's political master presided over the French deal, which was subsequently abolished at billions of dollars' expense to the Australian taxpayer, only to be replaced by something else.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Morialta will come to order.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: In respect of their frigates, there is no funding. There are not nine frigates because there is not the money allocated to that. If you want to build ships, you need to fund the building of the ships, which is exactly what we are advocating for—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Schubert!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —exactly what we expect the commonwealth to deliver.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: We look forward to the outcome of the decision in a few weeks to come.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Colton! The exchange between the Premier and member for Colton will cease. Member for Colton, your leader is on his feet and is seeking the call. Before we turn to the leader, we observe that the member for Morialta is on three warnings. He is very close to a speeding ticket. Order! The member for West Torrens is warned.