Wed, 27th February 2008

Fitzgibbon ignores facts on Super Hornet

Senator the Hon Nick Minchin
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Shadow Minister for Defence

Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon’s latest claim in relation to costs associated with the Super Hornet purchase are not based on fact, Shadow Defence Minister Nick Minchin said today.

Today 27 February 2008, Joel Fitzgibbon said “Sadly the taxpayer now looks like paying the price if the project was to be cancelled, there would be a penalty, if the project proceeds there is no doubt we would have paid too much for the project.”

The fact is Australia will pay the best possible price for the Super Hornet.

In Senate Estimates, 20 February 2008, Dr Stephen Gumley CEO, Defence Materiel Organisation said “We get the same unit prices as the US government. I know no way of getting better prices than the US government, particularly in the home market; therefore I am confident that the price we are paying for the aircraft is as good as Australia is going to get.”

“The Super Hornet is the right aircraft to fulfil our air capability requirements and the Coalition government secured it at the best possible price.” said Senator Minchin