Senator PAYNE (New South Wales—Minister for Defence) (14:33): I thank Senator Patrick very much for his question. It is certainly the case that the work of ASC in South Australia in terms of the work they are doing in sustainment of the Collins class submarines is remarkable and exemplary. I absolutely agree with my very good friend and colleague Minister Pyne. What is actually much more interesting is some of the early writings of Senator Patrick in the Asia Pacific Defence Reporter. The government will make decisions about the location of the Collins class and the future submarines sustainment, including full-cycle docking, in due course. The PRESIDENT: Senator Patrick, a point of order? Senator Patrick: My question related directly to the current sensitivity that caused the cessation of a study into moving jobs from SA to WA. The PRESIDENT: As I've made the point on numerous occasions, where questions have prefacing statements, assertions and references, ministers are entitled to address those in answering the question. I can't direct a minister how to answer, nor what part of a question they may answer. The minister was being relevant. Senator PAYNE: Those decisions won't be required for some time, and what we'll do in that process is to ensure how the efficient and effective construction of the future submarine fleet can best proceed concurrently with ongoing sustainment activities for a Collins fleet. That's a perfectly reasonable position for a government to take. But I would note, in passing—or 'en passant', if we want to talk about matters French and submarines—that Senator Patrick has a completely different view. Let me quote: 'Finally, the sustainment operations must be moved to Western Australia, where the submarine force operates from. And if and when we have submarines home based in the east—Sydney or Newcastle—supporting submarine sustainment out of the Adelaide site, 2,600 kilometres from where the submarine force operates, isn't smart. It is disruptive to the crews, time consuming, costly to the Navy and against the recommendations of Cole, who found that ASC in the west was much more outcome focused.' Now, Senator Patrick might have made up his mind about Collins class sustainment, but the government will consider the requirements of sustainment, of capability and of the development of the future submarines and make decisions in due course, because that's the wise and smart thing for a government to do. The PRESIDENT: Order! Have you concluded your answer, Senator Payne? Senator Patrick on a point of order? Senator Patrick: The question went to current sensitivities: what were they? The PRESIDENT: Senator Payne has concluded her answer. Do you have a supplementary question?