Calls to sack Defence Minister David Johnston over ASC canoe gaffe

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott says David Johnston has his full confidence as calls mount for the Defence Minister to be sacked for saying he would not trust ASC to “build a canoe”. 

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott says David Johnston has his full confidence as calls mount for the Defence Minister to be sacked for saying he would not trust South Australian shipbuilder ASC to “build a canoe”.

The Labor Party, crossbench senators and even SA Liberal leader Steven Marshall united to say Senator Johnston’s position was now untenable.

But Prime Minister Tony Abbott told Parliament today that Senator Johnston had his full confidence, and Senator Johnston said he was not going anywhere.

Mr Abbott said he did not deserve to be sacked for a “slip of the tongue’’.

“This Minister does not deserve to be undermined by members opposite,’’ Mr Abbott told Federal Parliament.

“He does not deserve to be undermined by members opposite because of a slip of the tongue in the Senate yesterday.’’

The Defence Minister apologised for his comments in the Senate this afternoon.

“Regrettably, in rhetorical flourish, I did express my frustrations in the past performance of ASC,” he said.

He was officially censured by the Senate today for his criticism, after a motion moved by Labor gained the support of the Greens and several crossbenchers.

While being censured has no specific consequences, it is a display of the Upper House’s disapproval of Senator Johnston.

He yesterday told the Upper House the government-owned ASC was already $350 million over budget constructing three air warfare destroyers for the navy.

“You wonder why I’m worried about ASC and what they’re delivering to the Australian taxpayers? You wonder why I wouldn’t trust them to build a canoe? Because what they’ve done on AWD (we have) had to repair,” he said, raising his voice as he spoke.

His remarks weren’t supported by Mr Abbott, whose office later released a statement defending the ASC.

“Whilst ASC has had challenges meeting the government’s cost and schedule expectations of the Air Warfare Destroyer program, we are working closely with ASC on a reform strategy to improve shipyard performance and productivity,” the statement said.

The incident enhanced speculation of a reshuffle, which was already a possibility given Arthur Sinodinos remains missing in action as assistant treasurer pending the result of a NSW corruption inquiry.

There is increasing doubt about whether the Coalition will keep its pledge to have a dozen new submarines built in Adelaide.

This morning MPs from all sides were critical of the “bizarre” canoe claim.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten tried to suspend proceedings at the start of Parliament to move a motion, calling for Senator Johnston to be sacked, but the government used its numbers to gag debate.

“(It’s) a shocking insult to thousands of Australian men and women working at the ASC,” Mr Shorten said.

Labor Senate leader Penny Wong accused the minister of trashing the reputation of the submarine corporation.

“This is a defence minister who is ... happy to undermine confidence in Australia’s naval capability. He is a disgrace,” she told the Senate.

“This is a man who has insulted thousands of hard-working Australians.”

Senator Wong said there were now huge doubts over whether Senator Johnston would treat an Australian bid to build new submarines fairly.

‘They were disgraceful comments about the ASC and he needs to do something to rebuild the confidence of the workforce ... if he can’t then his position is untenable. State Opposition Leader Steven Marshall

Even his Liberal colleague Mr Marshall said the minister’s position could be untenable.

“The comments that were made by the minister in Parliament were deplorable,” Mr Marshall said.

“They were disgraceful comments about the ASC and he needs to do something to rebuild the confidence of the workforce and if he can’t then his position is untenable.

“Unless he can rebuild some rapport and confidence with the industry, I don’t think he has any alternative (but to resign).”

Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union delegate Glen Dallimore said he and his colleagues were “flabbergasted” when news of the comments broke yesterday.

“Saying something outrageous like that is blowing away our confidence,” he said.

“I think he spoke his mind and lost control.”

Mr Dalimore said he was saddened by the government’s lack of confidence in the SA shipbuilding industry.

“We have zero confidence (in the government). We have a billion dollars of experience here and that skill will just go,” he said.

The union which represents Defence engineers and scientists said Mr Abbott had to sack Senator Johnston.

Professionals Australia director David Smith said morale among his members within the Defence Department had fallen to an all-time low under the Liberal Defence Minister.

“He might think he can’t trust the ASC to build a canoe, but they can’t trust him to run our Defence organisation,’’ Mr Smith said.

“Our concern is that Minister Johnston’s comments hopelessly compromise him in making a sensible decision on the future of our submarine program, which is expected in the next month.

“It is time for the Minister to step aside and ensure that how we build submarines goes properly to competitive tender.”

Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union assistant national secretary Glenn Thompson said Senator Johnston’s comments on the ASC should disqualify him from being involved in the submarine tender process.

“Yesterday has shown a bias from the Defence Minister who is supposed to be making decisions in the interests of the country,’’ Mr Thompson said.

“The message South Australia is getting from the Government is they don’t care about us. The South Australian Government will not tolerate that attitude.” - State Defence Industries Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith

Defence Industries Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith said Mr Abbott “must consider Senator Johnston’s position”, describing his comments as “shattering”, “shameful” and insulting to workers.

“It’s going to be extremely difficult for Minister Johnston to have any credibility at an industry lunch or dinner from now on,” he said.

“I think the problem Minister Johnston will have if he comes to South Australia is will anyone listen?”

Mr Hamilton-Smith said the Federal Government had repeatedly failed to protect South Australian interests and Senator Johnston’s comments were “just embarrassing for the Coalition”.

“What we need from Canberra is leadership, a government that is on our side,” he said.

“We are feeling like SA can be cut adrift.

“We are not good enough for TV and radio jobs (ABC cuts), not good enough for science (CSIRO cuts), not good enough to build cars and now we are being told we are not good enough for a shipbuilding industry.

“The message South Australia is getting from the Government is they don’t care about us. The South Australian Government will not tolerate that attitude.

‘If our Federal Government thinks we are no good in South Australia, why should South Australians think the Coalition Government is any good?”

“What we need is for some federal Liberal MPs to stand up and show a bit of ticker.”

Mr Hamilton-Smith said Senator Johnston was attempting to “soften us up” for an announcement that the next generation of submarines would be built overseas, breaking an election promise.

He said Senator Johnston had insulted not just ASC workers, but shipbuilding workers around the country who had contributed to the embattled Air Warfare Destroyers project, as well as implying submariners in ASC-built Collins Class submarines were unsafe.

“The minister is saying the ship they are in isn’t safe. It’s no better than a canoe.”

Local Government Association president David O’Loughlin said Senator Johnston’s “completely unfair” comments were the latest blow after cuts to road funding and pensioner concessions.

“Our local communities have been incredibly disappointed. It will affect every community and every council.”

“It really is a slap in the face to SA workers. No one denies that there are problems with the ASC’s work on the Collins or the AWD, but I completely disown those comments.” - Liberal MP Andrew Southcott

Federal South Australian Liberals also lined up to condemn Senator Johnston’s comments.

Boothby MP Andrew Southcott said they were “deeply regrettable”, “unhelpful”, and “wrong”.

“It really is a slap in the face to SA workers,” he said.

“No one denies that there are problems with the ASC’s work on the Collins or the AWD, but I completely disown those comments.”

Assistant Infrastructure Minister Jamie Briggs, who is the member for Mayo, said: “I think the work of the ASC is world class, as the Prime Minister made clear in his statement yesterday.

Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham said there was a need for honesty about the problems at Osborne.

“But that’s no excuse for denigration of the workforce or extensive capabilities SA has, which I am confident will enjoy more jobs from increased investment in the future,” he said.

Senator David Fawcett, who has called for a competitive tender on the project, said the overseas experience showed it was not abnormal to have cost overruns and that such blowouts were worse at other sites around the world.

Senator Sean Edwards, who also came out recently to call for a competitive tender, said he was “in full support of ASC and the people in it” and that through the shipbuilding inquiry he had heard enough evidence to shore up that position.

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon brought a paddle to the doors of Parliament House, arguing the government is up “ship creek without a paddle”.

“The government’s policy on submarines is an absolute shambles,” he said.

Senator Xenophon said he quite liked Senator Johnston’s comment was “stupid and unfounded” and “he needs to apologise”.

“It was a rhetorical flourish that was not focused at the workers of ASC, it was about the way the management has simply gone ahead and not worked with Government.” - Defence Minister David Johnston

On ABC 891 this morning Senator Johnston said he was happy to apologise if Mr Marshall was offended and he was not attacking workers at ASC.

“It was a rhetorical flourish that was not focused at the workers of ASC, it was about the way the management has simply gone ahead and not worked with Government and indeed the previous Government has misled us all,” he said.

“What I should have said was the Labor Party should not be trusted to build a canoe because it was their responsibility.

“They’ve put at jeopardy this whole Future Frigate program for Adelaide.

“I’m trying to get ASC back on the rails after six years of mismanagement ... I think if people knew the facts at what we are looking at trying to put up with in terms of the cost overruns and the threat to Australian naval shipbuilding into the future, they would understand that I am very desperate to repair the situation.”

Before the election Senator Johnston promised to build 12 submarines in South Australia.

Shadow defence minister Stephen Conroy said the Prime Minister needed to show leadership and make him say sorry to Parliament.

“Tony Abbott should demand that David Johnston go into the chamber and apologise publicly to the workforce, to the people of Australia for undermining our national security.

“He is the Defence Minister, this is a very serious situation that he’s put himself in.”

“I would suggest that he’s the one up s--t creek without a paddle and very shortly no canoe,” Greens Leader Christine Milne told reporters.

Family First Senator Bob Day said he was “somewhat surprised” by the Defence Minister’s remark.

“Obviously he was taunted quite a bit by Senator Conroy,” he said.