Australians paying French company's legal fees over future submarine project

Defence has confirmed taxpayers are funding legal efforts by a French company to keep secret the original price it quoted for Australia's massive future submarine project.Defence confirms it is paying legal fees for French company Naval Group to help keep hidden its original price to build Australia’s submarines

South Australian Senator Rex Patrick began a lengthy Freedom of Information battle in June 2018 to discover what Naval Group's total price was for the contract. A month later in September 2020, Defence appealed Commissioner Falk's decision to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal , with France's Naval Group choosing to join the proceedings.

"Pursuant to the Strategic Partnering Agreement, Defence is liable for Naval Group's reasonable and allowable costs in relation to the proceedings," the Department said.signed the Strategic Partnering Agreement in 2019, with the ABC later revealing details of the break payments contained in the confidential document.

"It is completely outrageous that the taxpayer is also paying the legal costs for Naval Group, a commercial entity with a 3.3 billion Euro turnover," Senator Patrick added.

Source: News Formal (newsformal.com)

Wtf

Another massive bungle by this government !!!! Typical

$90 billion in scrap metal.

Time we dumped this project. Why do we need submarines when we have Allies with already functional subs.

Disgrace

Ridiculous. Freedom of information is warranted - it's in the public interest

A massive one in the long list of blunders attributable to 8 years of coalition government.

What can this country make? Nothing, from $1 plastic to $millions defence equipment. Still won’t stop some people making noises about being self reliant.

BrianMoylan4 WTF!

Australia is paying a debt until 247 because of the military. There is NOTHING as expensive as warfare or military equipment. The money to fund this extravagance is stripped from the budgets of heath, education, police, public housing, child welfare etc. That means less staff.

The whole world must be continuously laughing at us for having such pathetic politicians ruining our lives.

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