SENATOR THE HON STEPHEN CONROY
DEPUTY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
LABOR SENATOR FOR VICTORIA
THE HON DAVID FEENEY MP
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE CENTENARY OF ANZAC
SHADOW MINISTER FOR JUSTICE
MEMBER FOR BATMAN
Defence officials have confirmed that Tony Abbott imposed his sham Competitive Evaluation Process on Australia’s Future Submarine Project without seeking formal written advice.
When asked during Senate Estimates if the Government had sought formal written advice from Defence prior to the Prime Minister’s 8 February announcement, Defence Secretary Dennis Richardson said:
“No. Not formal written advice.”Dennis Richardson, Senate Estimates, 1 June 2015
Secretary Richardson was also unable to recall whether anybody other than himself had been consulted prior to the Prime Minister’s announcement on 8 February.
During sustained questioning, Senator Stephen Conroy sought clarification on formal advice to the Parliament provided by the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO).
When asked in February if the DMO had any prior knowledge of the Prime Minister’s announcement of a Competitive Evaluation Process, Defence responded in writing:
“No.”Response to Question on Notice 35, Senate Estimates, 25 February 2015
Mr Richardson was unable to explain why Defence experts were not consulted by the Government when it concocted its Competitive Evaluation Process.
When asked by Senator Conroy why the Government had ignored Defence when developing its sham process, Mr Richardson said:
“I’m not in a position to comment on that Senator.”Dennis Richardson, Senate Estimates, 1 June 2015
This adds to the overwhelming evidence that Tony Abbott invented his Competitive Evaluation Process to save his own job and to justify his ‘Captain’s Pick’ to send our Future Submarines offshore.
This multi-billion dollar project, the largest Defence procurement in Australia’s history – and vital to Australia’s national security – is in total chaos due to Tony Abbott’s scheme to deliver on his secret deal with Japan.
Only Labor is committed to building, sustaining and maintaining 12 submarines in Australia.