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Page 38 Senate Wednesday, 1 March 2017 Senator LUDLAM: So there is nothing new—no studies, no contingency planning and no scenario planning is underway within either the ministry or the ADF as a consequence of a change of administration in the US? Senator Payne: You are repeating yourself. And, to repeat myself, I am saying that we are always planning, looking at different scenarios and reviewing our commitments because the international situation is a very dynamic one, as you would appreciate. We have thousands of Australian men and women serving our nation in international arenas at the moment in harm's way. That is a very dynamic environment. It is something we deal with on a daily basis. Senator LUDLAM: Given that a large number of Australian personnel are serving side by side with Muslim allies in the region, have you had to evaluate any changes in the security environment resulting in, for example, concepts like a Muslim ban or the escalation of racist or white supremacist rhetoric from US administration figures that could in fact impinge on the safety of Australian personnel serving side by side with people? Mr Richardson: No. Senator LUDLAM: Is that not something that you thought might be worth evaluating? Mr Richardson: I personally think it would not be. Senator LUDLAM: Really? Mr Richardson: I think your colouration of all of that would not be worth an evaluation by us. Senator LUDLAM: Before he was president and when he was a candidate, Donald Trump proposed a Muslim ban. Now he is the President of the United States and they are busy trying to legislate for one or create one through executive order— Mr Richardson: I am not aware of him trying to legislate for one. Senator LUDLAM: No—it was an executive order. I corrected myself. Mr Richardson: I am aware that he had a presidential directive and I am aware that the courts made certain decisions on that. I am aware that there is now speculation that the administration might bring forward another presidential directive. Senator LUDLAM: I understand that. My question, to be direct—and the might be answer is no; you were pretty clear just now and that is fine—is whether you believe that the escalation in rhetorical hostility to Muslims by the Trump administration places an extra burden of risk on Australian personnel serving side by side in predominantly Islamic countries with allies in those regions. Mr Richardson: My own personal view is no. Senator LUDLAM: And that is reflected in policy. Mr Richardson: There are wider issues than that, which I will not comment on. Senator LUDLAM: Why would you not comment on wider issues? Mr Richardson: Because I am not going to. Senator LUDLAM: That is a ridiculous answer. Senator Payne: You did actually ask Mr Richardson what he believed, so he has given you an entirely appropriate answer. Air Chief Marshal Binskin: The countries we work with over there are pretty sophisticated countries. They understand the difference between Australia and the United States and our views and their views, whatever may be spoken or not. Senator LUDLAM: Where there is an extension of US foreign policy, I think they probably do recognise that we are part of US alliances and that is the sole reason we are there. Air Chief Marshal Binskin: No— Senator Payne: That is entirely incorrect. Australia makes its own judgments and assesses the case for engagement on its own merits, not, as you might spuriously claim, as an extension of US foreign policy. Senator LUDLAM: I do not think anybody outside of this room believes that. CHAIR: We might just leave it at that if we can. Senator Payne: Perhaps not in your party, Senator, but then I cannot speak for that organisation. Senator FARRELL: Secretary, Minister Pyne recently said that you had advised him that we need supplementary power generation at Osborne. Mr Gillis, before the minister made that statement, were you aware that there were power problems down at Osborne? FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Wednesday, 1 March 2017 Senate Page 39 Mr Gillis: Yes, I had read the newspapers about the power issues and outages in South Australia. Senator FARRELL: You then investigated the issue at Osborne, did you? Mr Gillis: No, we had already previously commissioned OMT—Odense Maritime Technology—to look at the shipyard infrastructure design, a part of which was the power requirements. Senator FARRELL: When was that commissioned? Mr Richardson: They did some work late last year and they were commissioned in early December to do this. Mr Gillis: But they had previously been working with us for up to six months doing a range of other different options. The specific tender or contract was in December to do this work. They are due to report back their preliminary findings on 13 March. Senator FARRELL: Is that 13 March this year? Mr Gillis: Yes. Senator FARRELL: So you commissioned this. What were they looking at? What was the nature of their commission? Mr Gillis: The task was to actually look at the existing infrastructure, which they had been doing in the previous six months at Osborne, then they were to look at what were the infrastructure requirements to achieve a continuous build of frigates in ASC South, as it is known, and what are the requirements for the facilities, what are the land requirements and how do we optimise shipbuilding in that location to enable continuous building at the lowest possible cost. Senator FARRELL: So this was quite a general investigation into Osborne's capacity? Mr Gillis: There was a specific requirement to actually redesign a shipyard and to work with local South Australian companies and naval architecture firms to actually build a new infrastructure for South Australia. Senator FARRELL: Was one of the issues that they were looking at supplementary power generation at Osborne? Mr Gillis: A part of their design was to look at all of the infrastructure, a part of which is the power requirements. Senator FARRELL: Was that specifically mentioned in the tender? Mr Gillis: I would have to take that on notice. Mr Richardson: Power requirements certainly were. I recall that. Senator FARRELL: In particular a supplementary power source? Mr Richardson: I do not know the answer to that. Mr Gillis: ASC already has an existing supplementary power requirement. They already have power at that site. This would be looking at what would be the future requirements. Senator FARRELL: That is correct, isn't it. They have a critical systems backup, don't they? Mr Gillis: Yes, and a part of that function would be to assess if that is going to be suitable for the size of infrastructure and the size of the work that we would be actually undertaking under the continuous build of frigates. Senator FARRELL: Just going back to what you said—that it already has a supplementary power source— has there been any suggestion that there have been problems with that supplementary power source? Mr Gillis: Not that I am aware of. Senator FARRELL: In a blackout period, has that swung in to do the job that it is meant to do? Mr Gillis: You would have to ask ASC. I am not aware of that level of detail. Senator FARRELL: But ASC have not mentioned to you that they have had any problem with their power source? Mr Gillis: That would be one of my ship's commodores who would have that direct relationship with them. Senator FARRELL: But nobody has mentioned to you that there has been a problem with power source at Osborne? Mr Gillis: Not directly to me, but that may have happened. I am not aware of it. Senator FARRELL: Could you make an inquiry? FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
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