David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

The good senator has a very short memory, because when we built the Collins class we relied exclusively upon Cockram to provide the intellectual property to support the sustainment of that vessel. Let me just tell you that, in order for a full-cycle docking of Collins, we are currently running at 36 months. The Japanese do a full-cycle docking in eight months. The Germans do a full-cycle docking in 11 months. The Labor Party chose this particular submarine. Its cost of sustainment runs about $1 billion a year, and we are lucky if we have got two in the water! It has taken this government to get that turned around and get that submarine output—that is, to available capability in the water, ready to be tasked. We have done that. You produced the Collins, which has been nothing more or less than a problem. (Time expired)