Press Conference, Adelaide

SUBJECTS: Keel laying ceremony for new Hunter-class frigate; lobbying; AUKUS; bird flu; graffiti 

MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY PAT CONROY: Well, it’s great to be here with the South Australian Premier, Peter Malinauskas, my parliamentary colleagues Claire Clutterham, Cheyne Rich and Minister Chris Picton. 

Today is a great day for the Royal Australian Navy. Today is a great day for the state of South Australia. Today is a great day for Australia. With the keel laying of the new ship Hunter, we’re seeing the next stage in our plans to more than double the Royal Australian Navy by delivering the most advanced anti-submarine warship in the world, creating 3,000 direct jobs and 5,000 indirect jobs. 

South Australia is the heart of the Australian defence industry. It is critical to us defending our nation, protecting our interests, and that’s at the heart of what the Albanese Labor government is all about. 

I’ll invite the premier to say a few words, then happy to answer your questions. 

SOUTH AUSTRALIA PREMIER, PETER MALINAUSKAS: Well, thanks, Pat. It’s so great to have you back here in South Australia for yet another really important milestone when it comes to South Australia being the home of the nation’s defence industry. Today is a really big deal. The keel laying of any boat is a significant milestone, but for one that really represents the vanguard of continuous naval shipbuilding in Australia, it’s a very special occasion indeed. 

The Hunter-class frigate is seeing up to 3,000 people working on this platform alone. And that in and of itself generates an extraordinary amount of income and economic opportunity here in South Australia. This is an exceptionally exciting development. The Hunter-class frigates’ capability, of course, will be essential to the defence and the maintenance of the sovereignty of our country. And then right next door in the not-too-distant future we’ll see the SSN-AUKUS submarine being constructed. And collectively what this represents is the heart of naval shipbuilding in Australia. 

It happens because of the extraordinary investment we’re seeing from the Federal Government coming to life. And I want to thank Pat and all involved for their leadership. This is really important for the defence of our nation. But for the future of South Australia, do not- do not underestimate what this means economically. These are some of the most sophisticated platforms that have ever been built in the history of our nation. It’s all right here in South Australia, and it represents a massive uplift in economic complexity that has a very substantial flow-on effect to surrounding industries, not just here in the western suburbs of Adelaide but more broadly throughout the state and, indeed, the nation’s economy. 

So, it’s a privilege to be host of this, and it’s a privilege to be part of this important ceremony today. A shout-out to all the workers involved at BAE, the leadership of BAE. It’s great to be with Craig. There’s a lot of people who should be very proud of this milestone indeed. 

And I think I’ve got the pleasure of handing over to the Chief of the Navy – no. Okay. Am I handing over to anybody else? Okay, very good, questions. Yes. 

JOURNALIST: Minister, can I ask you, what do you say to defence experts who say that the Hunter – the way that the Hunter getting up to about 10 and a half thousand tonnes is too heavy and it could undermine its performance? Firstly, is the boat going to be too heavy? And, secondly, will it undermine its performance? 

MINISTER CONROY: The answer to both of those is no. The Hunter-class frigates are about 500 tonnes heavier than the Type 26 … in the lightweight configuration, which is how you compare things. But we knew that going in. We made conscious decisions, the last government, which was confirmed through our independent review, to take the base Type 26-frigate design, include the Aegis Combat System, an Australian combat system, and, really importantly, the CEAFAR CEA radar. 

We make no apologies for putting into this design the most advanced radar in the world, built in Canberra in Australia, which makes this ship very capable. I would argue, with due respect to our British counterparts, that this is a more capable ship than the Type 26 because of the integration of that radar, which means not only will this be the best anti-submarine warfare– anti-submarine warship in the world, but it will have great air defence capabilities as well through the CEA radar. 

JOURNALIST: [Indistinct] ability to be upgraded further on down the line? 

MINISTER CONROY: There is still growth margin in the ship. There is growth margin in the ship so that other systems can be added on as the circumstances dictate it. But this was the right decision to give us the most capable multi-purpose ship that will complement our other naval vessels. 

JOURNALIST: So, you’re saying there’s no trade-off for the extra weight as far as range, endurance and capability? 

MINISTER CONROY: What I’m saying to you is that it is still within the growth margins, the margins for the base design. That it is a more capable ship because of those decisions. Obviously, all these things involve making decisions, but we’re comfortable with the ship as it is being built, and that was confirmed by the independent analysis. 

JOURNALIST: Minister, Four Corners has found dozens of former Defence officials who have, obviously, sort of, taken jobs as lobbyists or are working for arms manufacturers. What’s your response to critics who argue that AUKUS is being viewed by many in the sector as a chance to cash in? 

MINISTER CONROY: Well, I think people are conflating two different issues. We’ve had senior former Australian Defence Force officers as well as defence ministers and others who have used their skills in the defence industry well before AUKUS was created. And it’s quite natural that when people leave government that they choose to provide their expertise in other forms through the private sector. It’s not that that should be the controversial element; what has to happen is that you’ve got appropriate safeguards to make sure that everything is above board. 

That’s why we’ve got the ministerial code of conduct under the Albanese Government. That’s why you’ve got the lobbying code of conduct under this government. And that’s why you’ve got the establishment of The National Anti‑Corruption Commission to provide the safeguards to make sure that any involvement in this area is appropriate and that probity is observed. 

But let me give you an example. Someone like Kim Beazley, who spent his entire life in public service, why should he not provide that expertise to the private sector? It then makes them better suppliers to the Australian Government. 

JOURNALIST: Transparency International says the Commonwealth has the weakest lobbying regime in the country compared to states and territories. Don’t you think the public has a right to know that federal ministers meet with lobbyists and what those meetings are about? 

MINISTER CONROY: Well, I reject that analysis. We’ve got the lobbying code of conduct. We’ve got the ministerial code of conduct. We’ve got the NACC. We’ve got very strong safeguards, the most in-depth safeguards at a federal level in the history of this country. And I’m proud of that. 

JOURNALIST: Let’s bring it back to this quickly. So we’ve got 2,500 local jobs, 5,000 around Australia. How much including AUKUS and everything here in SA? 

MINISTER CONROY: Well, that’s two and a half thousand at the moment. At its peak, Hunter will have 3,000 direct jobs, 5,000 indirect, so that’s 8,000 jobs. Just a little way around in this precinct, we have the construction of the submarine construction yard. That’s four and a half thousand jobs building the yard and then five and a half thousand jobs actually building the submarines. So those two direct facilities will have 8 and a half thousand people in it building the submarines and the frigates. And that’s not to mention the work on the Hobart-class upgrades that is happening right now. 

This is one part of our commitment to the Australian defence industry. But, importantly, it’s part of our commitment to continuous naval shipbuilding. Once we’ve finished these six frigates, we will seamlessly move into replacing the air warfare destroyers with their replacement. Australian workers can build ships as fast and as efficiently as anyone in the world. You just have to look at the Anzac-class frigates, where by the end of that production run of 10 frigates, we were building them faster and cheaper than the German-based design. What we need is continuity and demand management. And that’s what this government is doing so that an apprentice like Joe who started and was the youngest shipworker here, he can work his entire life in this precinct building naval vessels, whether it’s frigates, destroyers or submarines, helping defend this country and helping put food on his table. 

JOURNALIST: [Indistinct] really quickly. 

PREMIER MALINAUSKAS: Sure. 

JOURNALIST: Victoria’s new Premier says he wants to make his state the new AUKUS powerhouse. What’s your response to that? 

PREMIER MALINAUSKAS: I welcome it. And I’ve been very consistent about this. AUKUS is such a big endeavour that we necessarily require the whole of the nation’s industrial capability contributing what they can, whether it be in Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia or elsewhere. There is so much work that needs to be done for AUKUS that we want to see other states making a contribution in this regard. 

South Australia is currently at full employment. We have a trajectory of workforce and employment growth over the horizon that I worry about our capability to be able to meet on our own. So, we do need to see other states realising that AUKUS is not just a South Australian industrial endeavour; it’s a national one. 

Nuclear submarine construction is truly a national endeavour, whether you go to the US or the UK, they are at pains to point out that this is something the whole country will need to be able to make a contribution towards. So, to the extent that there are other premiers from around the country apart from myself and Roger Cook who care about this and are investing in the skills pipeline that we are going to require, that is a good thing. 

JOURNALIST: And just on the bird flu as well, the second seal has been suspected of having it. Do we think other mammals are susceptible? 

PREMIER MALINAUSKAS: Look, we have said from the outset that we’re particularly concerned about the seal and sea lion population when it comes to mammals that are vulnerable to bird flu, which is one of the reasons why the State Government has invested so heavily in monitoring. Obviously, the development of a confirmed case within a seal is incredibly concerning, but we’re even more concerned about the prospect of Australian sea lions being susceptible to bird flu, which is why we’re trying to assess all of the scientific options available to us to do something about it. 

Obviously, there is not yet currently a registered vaccine that can be safely administered to a seal or a sea lion, even if we’re able to get access to them themselves. There is a trial that we’re closely monitoring in the United States for a cattle vaccine, a vaccine that is used in cattle against bird flu. There are some trials that are going on in the US to see whether or not it can be applied to sea mammals and in this case seals safely. That’s something that we’re monitoring. But as it stands, there isn’t yet a vaccination that is registered that is deemed to be safe for Australian seals or sea lions. But that is something we continue to monitor. 

JOURNALIST: Are you worried about other mammals though, if it starts spreading [indistinct]? 

PREMIER MALINAUSKAS: Look, I mean – look, time will tell. You know, I think we’ve been consistent about the things that we’re most worried about – native bird life, the poultry industry and then seals and sea lions. I’m particularly – we’re particularly most concerned about Australian sea lions by virtue of the fact that there is such a limited number of them. There’s only a couple of places in the country where we see them, Kangaroo Island being one of them. So, this will be something we’ll continue investing in when the monitoring and science are out. 

JOURNALIST: What did you make of the demonstrations in the Eastern Parklands yesterday? 

PREMIER MALINAUSKAS: Look, I’ve been very clear from the outset: I think I can understand people’s concerns here. I think some of those concerns find their origins in some misinformation in the community, but that’s life. I mean, it’s very important that people are able to exercise their democratic rights to protest and protest peacefully and civilly. And so long as it’s done in those terms, that’s not a bad thing. 

You know, but, like I said, in terms of, you know, acknowledging people’s democratic right to protest, it’s also true that governments that are democratically elected have a right to pursue their policy, and that is something that we are really keen to do. 

JOURNALIST: What does Jack Batty sitting next to Sarah Hanson-Young say about the Liberal Party, the Greens and also the strength of their cause? 

PREMIER MALINAUSKAS: Well, I was a bit surprised to see Jack Batty and the Liberal Party at the protest yesterday, because in one minute they’re saying they’re in favour of MotoGP in the city and the next minute they’re saying they’re opposed to it. There seems to be this real chopping and changing opposition that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to see from a party of government. I mean, Ashton Hurn is really trying to walk both sides of the street here. She’s promising something to people over here and promising other things to different people over there. And you always get found out when you do that. So, you’re better off, in my view, making your position known, making it clear. We did that before an election, not after it. And I think that sort of underpins our determination to make sure that we get the right outcome here for both the parklands but also for people more broadly. 

JOURNALIST: Do you – 

PREMIER MALINAUSKAS: One of the phrases that I keep hearing is that the parklands belongs to everyone, and my government believes that more than anybody because we’re the ones that are investing in the parklands, whether it be people wanting to go to the aquatic centre, whether it be in the installation of more trees, whether it be what we’re doing to open up the parklands in an area that was otherwise locked up as a police barracks, whether it be what we’re doing around golf and also motor sport. We do genuinely believe that the parklands belongs to everybody, but it looks as though the Liberal Party have now found themselves, yet again, saddling up next to the Greens to say they don’t want motor sport at the parklands. And it wasn’t that long ago they admitted that that was an error that they had adopted in their last term of government. Now they’ve gone right back into that. I mean, the Liberal Party kicked motor sport out of the parklands in the former government only five or six years ago. They lost an election, said that was a mistake, and now they’re repeating that same mistake again. I just don’t understand what their position is. 

JOURNALIST: Do you endorse your party’s use of AI to generate a crowd estimate of yesterday’s rally? 

PREMIER MALINAUSKAS: Absolutely. 

JOURNALIST: The graffiti, Premier, that was directed at yourself and Lucy Hood [indistinct]? 

PREMIER MALINAUSKAS: Look, I think the graffiti is unfortunate not just because it’s a bit distasteful - well, not a bit distasteful; it's very distasteful, so I’ll say that again. Look, I think the graffiti is unfortunate. It’s obviously distasteful. But I also think it’s unfortunate for the people who are supporting the Stop the Chop campaign that I don’t think would endorse that type of behaviour. The overall majority of people who participated in yesterday’s protests or are supporting that particular campaign are doing it lawfully, respectfully and civilly. And then whoever was responsible for that graffiti I think, undermined their cause. 

JOURNALIST: Just one on bird flu. 

SPEAKER: Last one, sorry, folks. 

JOURNALIST: So an Adelaide University vet says the government should have looked at developing vaccines for endangered animals like sea lions a lot earlier? Do you agree? 

PREMIER MALINAUSKAS: Look, we have been actively investing in science. We’ve been part of a national program around bird flu, which is why you’ve seen the rollout of our endeavours actually in accordance with a nationally structured plan and being ahead of the game. And we stand ready to respond. 

SPEAKER: Thanks very much, everyone. 

PREMIER MALINAUSKAS: Okay, thank you.

ENDS