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| Australia's Existing Collins class Submarine (File Photo) |
SENATOR STEPHEN CONROY
DEPUTY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
DAVID FEENEY MP
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR VETERANS AFFAIRS
MEMBER FOR BATMAN
MEDIA RELEASE
The chaos, dysfunction and confusion within the Abbott Government are delaying decisions that are vital for Australia’s national security.
It’s reported that the Government was planning to heed Labor’s call and announce a competitive tender for Australia’s new submarine fleet, but the decision was abandoned in order for the Prime Minister to dump former Defence Minister David Johnston before Christmas.
The Prime Minister is now on the verge of being dumped himself, leading to further uncertainty for this vital defence acquisition and the possibility that new Defence Minister Kevin Andrews will also be sent to the backbench.
This would result in a third Defence Minister in less than three months.
This chaos and dysfunction must stop.
It’s vital that the Prime Minister, or whoever replaces him, ditches his ‘Captain’s Call’ to buy our new submarines from Japan.
Expert after expert has told the Parliament that the Japanese submarines do not meet Australia’s unique requirements for range and endurance.
These experts have also confirmed that there is enough time to hold a proper tender process, in a timeframe that ensures no capability gap and with value for money for taxpayers.
But it is not just submarines.
The Defence White Paper is set to be delayed, Land 400 has stalled, and nothing has been done to secure the future of Australia’s strategically vital shipbuilding industry and its thousands of workers.
BAE shipyards in Williamstown, Victoria, have already laid off workers, with up to another 1400 jobs in the industry set to be lost because of the Government’s dysfunction and inaction.
The Abbott Government’s 17 months in power has brought nothing to Defence but confusion, broken promises, uncertainty, and job losses.