6 years ago
Call for clarity on industry involvement in Submarine Project
Senator Rex Patrick
In response to a story published on Defence Connect earlier this morning, NXT Senator Rex Patrick will now seek an Order for Production for the Industry Capability Plan submitted by DCNS (now Naval Group) in response to the Future Submarine tender.
In an interview with Defence Connect, the former CEO of DCNS Australia, Sean Costello, conceded that the 90 per cent local content build was in its tender response to Defence.
"If that is the case, why has the Minister now reduced the number to sixty per cent?" said Rex.
"Noting recent revelations on the Future Frigate tender that showed the Government only required a minimum of fifty per cent, Mr Pyne is quickly becoming the Minister of Diminishing Returns going from 90 per cent to 60 per cent for submarines, and down to 50 per cent for frigates. Where to next?
"The amount of local content in the submarine project is critical to Australia's defence industry, Australian jobs and indeed to the economic benefit that the submarine project brings. The Australian industry participation commitments made by DCNS need to be made public - it's time to lift the veil."
In May last year, former Senator Nick Xenophon requested the Australian Industry Capability Plan that DCNS used to win the tender be released to him under Freedom of Information. The request was refused by Defence and that refusal is now being reviewed by the Australian Information Commissioner. In Nick's submission to the Commissioner he said:
That there is controversy in relation to the possible quantity of Australian Industry Involvement and Local content cannot be reasonably contested. Access to the requested document will inform debate and discussion on the matter and promote effective oversight of the largest Defence project in the country's history. The public interest in these circumstances overrides any purported conditional exemption that has been advanced by the department.
Senator Patrick will move a motion in the Senate this coming Monday to have the Australian Industry Capability Plan tabled in the Senate.