Tony Abbott warns of 'substandard' submarines if Australian-made prioritised

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has refused to commit to allowing Australian companies to publicly compete to build the next generation of submarines, saying the last thing the navy wants "is a substandard submarine".

Amid signs the government is preparing to purchase vessels made overseas, Mr Abbott has said that the first priority of Defence has to be that equipment is "world class" and "at a competitive price".

A trio of South Australian Liberal Senators Anne Ruston, Sean Edwards and David Fawcett are calling on the government to listen to the advice of a top advisor to the government on the issue, and make a decision after a public tender.

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