PM’s mate on board in sub builder’s crew

Embattled French submarine company Naval Group has hired one of Scott Morrison’s closest confidants to represent its interests in Canberra.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: Getty Images

Embattled French submarine company Naval Group has hired one of Scott Morrison’s closest confidants to represent its interests in Canberra amid growing frustration with the company among the upper echelons of ­government.

David Gazard – a former adviser to Peter Costello and personal friend to the Prime Minister – confirmed he would once again represent Naval Group after working for the company during earlier contractual negotiations with the Australian government.

This comes as Defence Minister Peter Dutton delays signing of Naval Group’s next contract with the government until at least September, amid cost and schedule tensions over the $90bn Future Submarine program.

Naval Group is locked in a contractual battle with the federal government over the program’s next steps, amid Defence confirmation it was looking at alternatives to the French boats.

Mr Gazard, a longtime Liberal operative and former federal candidate who helped Naval Group reach its Strategic Partnering Agreement with the government, said he was happy to be back working for the French government-owned firm. “It’s a very exciting project to be involved in, with huge impacts right across the supply chain and across Australia,” he said. “It’s great also to be working with a firm I’ve worked with successfully before.”

Mr Gazard said he was taking legal advice on disclosures he needed to make on the foreign influence and lobbyists’ registers.

His appointment follows revelations in The Australian that Naval Group has hired former Labor leader Simon Crean to help repair its battered image in the eyes of a prospective Albanese government.

The company has also engaged Liberal-aligned public relations firm Dragoman to strengthen its case.

Mr Morrison will raise concerns over the Future Submarine program with French President Emmanuel Macron during a visit to Paris this month.

Defence Secretary Greg ­Moriarty told Senate estimates last week his department was undertaking “prudent contingency planning” in case the ­Attack-class submarines did not go ahead. He said Defence was looking at a range of alternative “capability pathways” to French-­designed boats, revealing “some of them are submarines, some of them are not”.