Remarks at the Osborne North Submarine Yard Sod-Turning Event

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

Remarks at the Osborne North Submarine Yard Sod-Turning Event

13 December 2018

SUBJECTS: Submarine and Shipbuilding Sector; Attack Class Submarine;

[Applause]

CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Thank you very much to you Mike, the Chief of the Navy; to David Knox, the head of ANI; to my parliamentary and ministerial colleague, David Pisoni and my parliamentary colleague, Lucy Gichuhi, Senator Gichuhi. There are so many distinguished guests here. Welcome to you all. To Michael O’Brien, the O’Brien family, there’s lot of things I like about the O’Brien family. There’s one thing I don’t like about them.

[Laughter]

But I’m glad that he’s called on the spirits to help Port Power because they need it a lot more than Adelaide so I’m not going to begrudge them that. Look, today is such a great day for Jean-Michel Billig from Naval Group and John Davis. I see Stuart Whiley here from the ASC and Bruce Carter, members of the board of the ASC.

Think of where we were a few years ago in submarine and shipbuilding in Australia, when we were thinking about the future of the Osborne North submarine yard, the Osborne South shipyard, wondering about the work that’s been worked here, the thousands of people who rely on shipbuilding and the submarine building maintenance for their future work; thinking about whether or not submarines will be built in Australia, whether we buy them off the shelf from Japan or France or Germany. And look at us now, the Osborne South shipyard well underway; the Osborne North submarine yard turning the first sod today on a multi- hundred million-dollar development.

The naming of the attack class submarine – we wouldn’t be thinking about that three years ago. In fact, I’m very fortunate to be a minister who has been in the portfolio for three years and been part of the naming of four classes of vessels – the Guardian class, pacific patrol boats, the Arafura class offshore patrol vessels, the Hunter class Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigate. And I see Gabby Costigan here, and now the Attack class submarine.

So, it’s a very proud day for me and a very proud day for South Australia and also for Australia. We’ve come a long way. Today, Laing O'Rourke is announced as the successful builder of the Osborne submarine yard- the Osborne North submarine yard; and for South Australians, like David Pisoni as the state minister, these projects are transformative for our state in an economic point of view; transformative for our country from an economic point of view; but also providing the military capability, it’s always our number one priority for our service men and women who serve on these submarines.

We will build a regional superior submarine that will allow us to win in the unfortunate circumstances they are theatres of war and are put into danger, and that is always our number one priority – how can we provide the platforms, the equipment we need that our service men and women can go out, defend our nation, to serve our national interests, and come home safely. So I’m very proud to be here. It’s a wonderful day. Congratulations to everyone involved and thank you very much for what you’ve done. The part you’ve all played, delivering these big projects on schedule, on budget, delivering for our country.

[Applause]