MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE
Mr BURNELL (Spence) (15:38): In my office hangs a quilt proudly crafted by Aussie Hero Quilts, and I just want to give a special shout-out to Jan-Maree and the team at Aussie Hero Quilts on 15 years of giving back to our veterans across this great country. It tells the story of my family, whose connection to military service stretches across generations. Woven through that quilt are reminders of Australians who served far from home, alongside men and women from nations that remain our closest partners today.
My grandfather fought in Papua New Guinea during the Second World War, serving alongside American forces in defence of our freedom. My great-uncle fought in that same campaign but never returned home. His name is now etched into history at Lae War Cemetery.
My great-uncle Doug flew missions over Europe as a tail gunner, fighting shoulder to shoulder with the British in the battle against Nazi Germany. Those stories are not unique. Across Australia, countless families carry memories of sacrifice and service.
You see it in the RSLs in the cities and the humble cenotaphs in rural towns. The relationship Australia shares with the United States and the United Kingdom was not built overnight and is not insignificant. Its foundations were laid over generations through shared sacrifice and commitment to preserving peace and stability.
Today, AUKUS represents a continuation of that story, not a reflection on the past alone but a practical investment in the future that our nation wants to build. Much of the discussion surrounding AUKUS understandably focuses on Defence capability, yet limiting the conversation to the subtext of this MPI misses the broader significance of what AUKUS creates. At its core, AUKUS is helping position Australia to become a more capable, more skilled and more prosperous nation.
The agreement is already driving investment into industries that will support economic growth for decades to come. Advanced manufacturing, engineering, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are no longer concepts reserved for research papers and university lecture theatres. They are becoming real industries that will employ Australians and create opportunities in communities across the country.
Young Australians entering the workforce today will have access to career pathways that scarcely existed a generation ago. Students in STEM can see a future where their skills are developed and applied here at home. Tradespeople will play a central role in building and maintaining some of the most sophisticated industrial projects our nation has ever undertaken.
Businesses large and small are positioning themselves to participate in supply chains that stretch across allied nations and connect Australian expertise to global markets. Equally important is the contribution AUKUS makes to stability throughout our region. Across the Indo-Pacific, countries are seeking certainty at a time of growing strategic complexity, and Australia has always played a constructive role in supporting a stable and open region.
Our partnerships with the United States and the United Kingdom strengthen our capacity to continue fulfilling that responsibility. Those partnerships are not only strengthening our national security but also creating enormous opportunities for Australian workers, apprentices and industries. South Australia will sit at the centre of this nation-building endeavour, with Australia's future conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines to be constructed at Osborne.
The Albanese government has committed billions of dollars to transform the precinct into one of the most advanced shipbuilding hubs in the world. Construction of the new submarine construction yard and the Skills and Training Academy will support up to 4,000 jobs as the infrastructure required for this historic project takes shape. Once submarine production is under way, thousands more highly skilled workers will be needed, with between 4,000 and 5½ thousand direct shipyard jobs expected to be created.
Australian workers are already gaining the expertise needed for this task, with personnel from ASC undertaking specialised training at Pearl Harbour Naval Shipyard in the United States. Significant investment in surrounding infrastructure will ensure South Australia has the roads, services and facilities required to support this growing workforce. What we are witnessing is not simply a Defence project but a generational investment in Australian skills.
Australian manufacturing and Australia's future prosperity. That is precisely what AUKUS seeks to achieve. It strengthens Australia's security.
Workers are gaining access to skills that will remain valuable for decades. Communities will benefit from investment that supports long-term economic growth. At the same time, our nation is contributing to a region that remains peaceful, stable and open.
Right now we have a moment in time that is calling for a Team Australia effort. Everyone needs to get on board for the sake of the security of this country and our region. To those opposite, who brought this MPI up, maybe think a little bit harder next time.