Television Interview, ABC News Breakfast

Subjects: Incident White House Correspondents’ dinner, Investment in Bushmasters and Bendigo; Foreign Minister’s Asia visit; Welcome to Country.

JAMES GLENDAY, HOST: Pat, welcome to the program.

PAT CONROY, MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY: Thanks for having me, James.

JAMES GLENDAY, HOST: Just if we can start on what's happened overseas - what was your reaction on learning about this attempted attack in Washington?

MINISTER CONROY: Well, absolute horror, James. Violence has no place in any political system around the world, full stop.

I'm very grateful that the Secret Service agent that was injured in arresting a suspect is reported to be making a full recovery. I'm glad there were no other injuries and heaven forbid, no deaths. Political violence has no role in the democratic process or the political process, full stop.

JAMES GLENDAY: You're in Bendigo this morning because you are building more Bushmaster troop carriers. How much is this going to cost the budget?

MINISTER CONROY: It will cost $750 million for this part of a broader investment in our land capabilities. The Bushmaster is an Aussie success story - designed and built in Bendigo, 1,400 built already.

The unique v-shape of the hull and the armor means no soldier that's been in a Bushmaster when it's been blown up through an explosive has died unlike a lot of other capabilities around the world.

It's a great Aussie success story. Today we are announcing a production run of another almost 300.

It's the largest single order since the first order in 1999, it locks in 300 direct jobs, thousands in the supply chain, and it’s another example of the Government's commitment to a future made in Australia, and giving the Defence Force the best possible equipment to help defend Australia.

JAMES GLENDAY:  A lot of countries want them, the Ukraine wants them. I know the Netherlands is buying some too.

The Foreign Minister, in other news, is off to a trip - on a trip to Japan, China and Korea.

With the Strait of Hormuz still closed, how confident are you that Australia is not going to run out of fuel?

MINISTER CONROY: Well, we’re working very hard to secure those fuel supplies.

You have seen the Prime Minister take two separate trips to the South-East Asian region to help secure supplies with our trading partners. Penny Wong is there now or will be there shortly.

This about our regional diplomacy, working with our energy partners to lock in those supplies, and we have been very successful in the agreements that we have announced with countries like Singapore, as well as securing additional shiploads of fuel through the Export Finance Australia arrangement.

So, look, there are challenging times ahead.

The longer the Strait of Hormuz is closed, the more the challenge is, but so far, we have been able to secure alternate supplies and we are leaving no stone unturned to make sure Australians can keep on moving.

JAMES GLENDAY: Just finally, Minister - we saw a couple of days ago on ANZAC Day there was more booing of Welcome to Country, the Opposition -- Opposition leader Angus Taylor has condemned the booing, but he did say Welcome to Country is overused in Australia, what did you make of Mr Taylor's comments?

MINISTER CONROY: Mr Taylor is yet again trying to be all things to all people.

I thought the actions of the booing were disgraceful and for Angus Taylor to sort of have a bet each way demonstrates he's got no principles, he’s got no commitment.

He's trying to out-Pauline Hanson, Pauline Hanson… and then he goes off on another frolic over there.

He's just a pale imitation of One Nation at the moment, and he needs to understand that the Australian public want a government, an alternate government, that will govern from the middle with policies that appeal to the mainstream.

At the moment he's off dog-whistling on multiple issues and not a credible Opposition.

JAMES GLENDAY: Pat Conroy, enjoy Bendigo, thanks for joining us.

Ends.