The decision to have a national defence industry is not lightly made. If you want to have a national defence industry then as a nation, at every level, we have to commit to it.
The Liberals promised last year that the valley of death was over and that the upturn in shipbuilding employment would continue. Fast-forward a few months and the reality is starkly different. Jobs are still disappearing and ASC staff numbers continue to fall, having almost halved over the last three years.
SUBJECTS: Defence expos; Syria; Defence appointments; energy; banking royal commission; cyber security; busiest day of the year
SUBJECTS: China; Pacific nations
This Government has presided over the loss of more than 2000 Australian shipbuilding jobs and failed to invest in Australian skills and jobs for major procurement decisions.