STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms CLUTTERHAM (Sturt) (13:50): I recently attended the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia to witness the keel-laying ceremony for the first of the Hunter class frigates being built in Adelaide. Keel laying is one of four specially celebrated events in the life of a ship, the others being launching, commissioning and decommissioning. Keel laying symbolises the birth of the ship.

The oldest and youngest members of the South Australian Hunter class workforce walked together to lay the coin beneath the keel of the ship to bestow good fortune on it during its construction phase and throughout its life at sea. NUSHIP Hunter is magnificent, even at this early stage, and it's the product of hours and hours of dedicated craftsmanship from a highly skilled and motivated workforce.

The best part of the ceremony was that the hall was filled with those workers who are building this anti-submarine warfare capability for our country. The workers are the people who are delivering for the Royal Australian Navy, for South Australia and for all Australians. These are the people who operate with incredible precision, accuracy and fastidiousness to ensure that our Navy personnel who bravely and courageously put their hands up to serve our country have the best possible capability that is fit for mission every time, but, in recognition of this courage, is both safe and powerful.

I look forward to many more keel-laying ceremonies for the Hunter class frigates, and to meeting many more of the workers who are doing us proud. (Time expired)