1 00:00:03,860 --> 00:00:06,450 Sean Aylmer: Welcome to the Fear and Greed daily interview. I'm Sean 2 00:00:06,450 --> 00:00:10,190 Sean Aylmer: Aylmer. There are few days more important to Australians than 3 00:00:10,190 --> 00:00:12,729 Sean Aylmer: Anzac Day. It's a day when we honor all those 4 00:00:12,770 --> 00:00:15,610 Sean Aylmer: who have fought, and the many who died, for this 5 00:00:15,610 --> 00:00:18,329 Sean Aylmer: country. And in recent years, one of the most impressive 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,900 Sean Aylmer: ambassadors for Australia's military history has been Dr. Brendan Nelson. 7 00:00:22,260 --> 00:00:25,180 Sean Aylmer: Brendan Nelson has had an extraordinary career. A medical doctor 8 00:00:25,180 --> 00:00:28,200 Sean Aylmer: by training, he was the youngest ever president of the 9 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,340 Sean Aylmer: Australian Medical Association. He was elected to Federal Parliament in 10 00:00:31,340 --> 00:00:35,780 Sean Aylmer: 1996, holding a number of ministerial portfolios before becoming leader 11 00:00:35,820 --> 00:00:38,520 Sean Aylmer: of the Liberal Party. Since leaving politics, he's served as 12 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:41,780 Sean Aylmer: an Australian ambassador in Europe, and was the director Australian 13 00:00:41,780 --> 00:00:44,540 Sean Aylmer: War Memorial in Canberra for seven years. He's now the 14 00:00:44,540 --> 00:00:48,250 Sean Aylmer: president of Boeing Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific. Brendan 15 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:49,640 Sean Aylmer: Nelson, welcome to Fear and Greed. 16 00:00:50,380 --> 00:00:51,930 Dr. Brendan Nelson: It's a pleasure to be here. Thank you, Sean. 17 00:00:52,710 --> 00:00:54,590 Sean Aylmer: I'd like to talk to you about Boeing, because I think a 18 00:00:54,590 --> 00:00:57,300 Sean Aylmer: lot of people would be very surprised to learn just how big 19 00:00:57,300 --> 00:01:00,690 Sean Aylmer: the company is in Australia. But first, before we get 20 00:01:00,690 --> 00:01:03,980 Sean Aylmer: there, you served for years as the director of the Australian War 21 00:01:03,980 --> 00:01:06,620 Sean Aylmer: Memorial, what does Anzac Day mean to you? 22 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:12,280 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Anzac Day means everything to me, Sean. As Australians, we 23 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,160 Dr. Brendan Nelson: live in a country where we enjoy political, economic, and 24 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:20,360 Dr. Brendan Nelson: religious freedoms. We're a nation where faith coexist with reason, 25 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:24,410 Dr. Brendan Nelson: free academic inquiry, and independent judiciary. And as you well 26 00:01:24,410 --> 00:01:28,369 Dr. Brendan Nelson: know, a free press. And the paradox of life is 27 00:01:28,370 --> 00:01:30,700 Dr. Brendan Nelson: that often it's the things most important to us that 28 00:01:30,700 --> 00:01:34,069 Dr. Brendan Nelson: we have a tendency to take for granted. And Anzac 29 00:01:34,069 --> 00:01:37,780 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Day for me is the reminder of those almost 2 30 00:01:37,780 --> 00:01:40,580 Dr. Brendan Nelson: million Australian men and women who wear and have worn 31 00:01:40,580 --> 00:01:44,170 Dr. Brendan Nelson: the uniform of our Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, and 32 00:01:44,170 --> 00:01:48,710 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Royal Australian Air Force. The 102,000, 800 of whom have given 33 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:52,140 Dr. Brendan Nelson: their lives for us and those freedoms. And an indeterminant 34 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:57,300 Dr. Brendan Nelson: number who bear ongoing, psychological, and/ or physical traumas, and 35 00:01:57,390 --> 00:02:00,230 Dr. Brendan Nelson: the families who love and support them. So to me, 36 00:02:00,230 --> 00:02:03,370 Dr. Brendan Nelson: it's a day in which... The paradox of it, Sean. 37 00:02:04,330 --> 00:02:06,860 Dr. Brendan Nelson: I realized after my first year at the war memorial 38 00:02:07,270 --> 00:02:10,900 Dr. Brendan Nelson: it's not actually about war. In a context of war, 39 00:02:10,970 --> 00:02:14,520 Dr. Brendan Nelson: it's actually about love and friendship, and love for friends 40 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,410 Dr. Brendan Nelson: and between friends, love of family, love of our country. 41 00:02:17,410 --> 00:02:20,650 Dr. Brendan Nelson: And where people like you and me all know men 42 00:02:20,650 --> 00:02:23,010 Dr. Brendan Nelson: and women whose lives have been devoted largely not to 43 00:02:23,010 --> 00:02:26,100 Dr. Brendan Nelson: themselves, but to us. In their last moments, to one 44 00:02:26,100 --> 00:02:30,690 Dr. Brendan Nelson: another. So it's a very important and emotional day for me. 45 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,019 Sean Aylmer: What I always find incredible about Anzac Day is that 46 00:02:34,020 --> 00:02:38,210 Sean Aylmer: my children, who are teenagers, all do something on Anzac 47 00:02:38,210 --> 00:02:42,040 Sean Aylmer: Day, and the older ones that play two- up, the 48 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,320 Sean Aylmer: younger ones want to go to the services. And this 49 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:50,730 Sean Aylmer: is a generation who really have never... Even our generation 50 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,150 Sean Aylmer: didn't really experience war like our parents' generation, but it 51 00:02:54,150 --> 00:02:58,669 Sean Aylmer: just has this incredible flow through generations, Anzac Day. 52 00:02:59,470 --> 00:03:04,710 Dr. Brendan Nelson: It does. And I'm 63 years of age, screaming to 64, 53 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:09,290 Dr. Brendan Nelson: and old people have always said, " Oh, the young ones 54 00:03:09,290 --> 00:03:12,560 Dr. Brendan Nelson: today, they're not as good as us," and so on. I actually think 55 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:17,030 Dr. Brendan Nelson: these young people today are better than my generation. I've 56 00:03:17,030 --> 00:03:20,600 Dr. Brendan Nelson: found from my time in Europe and as Australia's ambassador 57 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,560 Dr. Brendan Nelson: to NATO and the EU, and I spent so much 58 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:25,590 Dr. Brendan Nelson: time at the Menin Gate and in the cemeteries in 59 00:03:25,590 --> 00:03:29,870 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Flanders, I find these young people, unlike us, have a 60 00:03:29,870 --> 00:03:35,220 Dr. Brendan Nelson: voracious appetite to know and to understand. And every nation 61 00:03:35,220 --> 00:03:39,840 Dr. Brendan Nelson: has its story. And for us, our story, if you 62 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,680 Dr. Brendan Nelson: like, has been largely forged, beyond the stories of indigenous 63 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,700 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Australians, who also, of course, at least 8, 000, have served in our 64 00:03:47,700 --> 00:03:51,830 Dr. Brendan Nelson: military, and our farming communities. Our story is tied up 65 00:03:51,830 --> 00:03:54,770 Dr. Brendan Nelson: in our military service in both war and peace. So, 66 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,670 Dr. Brendan Nelson: not withstanding the most consequential geopolitical realignment in our lifetime, 67 00:03:59,670 --> 00:04:02,370 Dr. Brendan Nelson: I'm actually quite confident about our future when I look 68 00:04:02,370 --> 00:04:03,140 Dr. Brendan Nelson: at young Australians. 69 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,910 Sean Aylmer: That geopolitical realignment, what's going on in the Ukraine at 70 00:04:07,030 --> 00:04:10,110 Sean Aylmer: the moment, as well as the tensions with China, do you think 71 00:04:10,450 --> 00:04:13,130 Sean Aylmer: it makes Anzac Day... Maybe not the China part, but 72 00:04:13,130 --> 00:04:16,710 Sean Aylmer: certainly Ukraine, people seeing that on TVs and on screens, 73 00:04:17,010 --> 00:04:19,060 Sean Aylmer: it just makes it a little bit more pertinent, almost. 74 00:04:19,630 --> 00:04:22,770 Dr. Brendan Nelson: It does. And look, one of the many privileges I've 75 00:04:22,770 --> 00:04:26,610 Dr. Brendan Nelson: had as being Australia's minister of defense, and I'd always been proud 76 00:04:26,610 --> 00:04:30,150 Dr. Brendan Nelson: to be an Australian, but it basically reminded me of 77 00:04:30,150 --> 00:04:33,560 Dr. Brendan Nelson: what is really most important in life and to never 78 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:37,680 Dr. Brendan Nelson: take things for granted. Whether it's family, freedoms, or anything 79 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:41,550 Dr. Brendan Nelson: else. And one of the towering giants with whom I 80 00:04:41,550 --> 00:04:45,210 Dr. Brendan Nelson: worked was Robert Gates, who was a defense secretary in the US through 81 00:04:45,210 --> 00:04:48,700 Dr. Brendan Nelson: the George W. Bush and then the Obama administrations. And Gates 82 00:04:48,700 --> 00:04:51,190 Dr. Brendan Nelson: made the observation in the Wall Street Journal about six 83 00:04:51,190 --> 00:04:54,880 Dr. Brendan Nelson: weeks ago that our holiday from history, as he described 84 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:58,529 Dr. Brendan Nelson: it, is now over. And he described the United States 85 00:04:58,529 --> 00:05:02,409 Dr. Brendan Nelson: looking across the tensions in Eastern Europe and in the Indo- 86 00:05:02,410 --> 00:05:07,419 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Pacific, and observing that, if you like, our generation who thought, " 87 00:05:07,500 --> 00:05:11,320 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Perhaps we'd left this behind," perhaps we have not. And 88 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:15,990 Dr. Brendan Nelson: for me, by the way, Anzac Day is every day. 89 00:05:16,700 --> 00:05:19,779 Dr. Brendan Nelson: But for Anzac Day now, I think we look at 90 00:05:19,779 --> 00:05:24,000 Dr. Brendan Nelson: the threats to our security, which we had assumed. And 91 00:05:24,190 --> 00:05:27,839 Dr. Brendan Nelson: I think it's even more poignant that we pay our 92 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:31,600 Dr. Brendan Nelson: respects to those who serve and have served. And the 93 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:35,600 Dr. Brendan Nelson: other thing that I find with Anzac Day, we don't 94 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,320 Dr. Brendan Nelson: say it, perhaps I sound like a frustrated priest of 95 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:42,080 Dr. Brendan Nelson: some sort, but when you get to the Dawn service, 96 00:05:42,410 --> 00:05:45,349 Dr. Brendan Nelson: it's a kind of a recommitment to one another. To 97 00:05:45,350 --> 00:05:49,120 Dr. Brendan Nelson: our nation and the ideals of mankind, and to whatever 98 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:52,980 Dr. Brendan Nelson: we do, to try to do everything we can to avoid conflict. 99 00:05:53,630 --> 00:05:55,440 Sean Aylmer: Stay with me, Brendan, we'll be back in a minute. 100 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:04,240 Sean Aylmer: My guest this morning is Dr. Brendan Nelson. President of Boeing 101 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,980 Sean Aylmer: Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific, and former director of the Australian 102 00:06:07,980 --> 00:06:13,239 Sean Aylmer: War Memorial. Did you miss the Australian War Memorial? I 103 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:17,850 Sean Aylmer: mean, it's part museum, part shrine, part research center. You, 104 00:06:17,940 --> 00:06:21,700 Sean Aylmer: Brendan, did an incredible job running it. Do you miss it? 105 00:06:22,260 --> 00:06:25,270 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Look, I do and I don't. In fact, I've been 106 00:06:25,620 --> 00:06:29,299 Dr. Brendan Nelson: appointed to the Council of the Australian War Memorial very recently, so 107 00:06:29,300 --> 00:06:31,839 Dr. Brendan Nelson: I'll return in a governance, in a different role. But 108 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,969 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Boeing, of course, proudly, for well over a decade has 109 00:06:34,970 --> 00:06:39,020 Dr. Brendan Nelson: been supporting the war memorial. And so I've had a 110 00:06:39,020 --> 00:06:42,270 Dr. Brendan Nelson: continuing involvement. Whenever I go to Canberra in my current 111 00:06:42,270 --> 00:06:44,839 Dr. Brendan Nelson: role, which is regularly, I go across to the memorial. 112 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:47,900 Dr. Brendan Nelson: But one of the things I do with my life, 113 00:06:48,130 --> 00:06:50,779 Dr. Brendan Nelson: when I get to the point where about 70% or 114 00:06:50,779 --> 00:06:52,560 Dr. Brendan Nelson: more of what I'm doing this year is what I 115 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:55,539 Dr. Brendan Nelson: did last year, that's when I start to think, " Perhaps 116 00:06:55,540 --> 00:06:58,150 Dr. Brendan Nelson: it's time for someone else to have a go." And 117 00:06:58,150 --> 00:07:01,859 Dr. Brendan Nelson: one of the concerns that I had, I'd been at 118 00:07:01,860 --> 00:07:05,190 Dr. Brendan Nelson: the Memorial for seven years, once you get past staffing and 119 00:07:05,190 --> 00:07:07,710 Dr. Brendan Nelson: budgets, every day was different. There was a lot of 120 00:07:07,710 --> 00:07:11,360 Dr. Brendan Nelson: emotion in it. I'd managed, with our team and the 121 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:13,940 Dr. Brendan Nelson: support of Mr. Kerry Stokes, to get the $ 500 million 122 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,820 Dr. Brendan Nelson: for the redevelopment. Built the project team, did the preliminary 123 00:07:17,820 --> 00:07:21,260 Dr. Brendan Nelson: works, and I thought, " It's time now for someone else 124 00:07:21,260 --> 00:07:24,260 Dr. Brendan Nelson: to come in." So I miss it, but I don't 125 00:07:24,260 --> 00:07:26,310 Dr. Brendan Nelson: miss it. I still get invited to do a lot 126 00:07:26,310 --> 00:07:30,420 Dr. Brendan Nelson: of public speaking around veterans and veterans issues. I've just 127 00:07:30,420 --> 00:07:33,380 Dr. Brendan Nelson: done a big thing for Legacy, one of the many 128 00:07:33,380 --> 00:07:37,150 Dr. Brendan Nelson: charities that I'm actively supporting. So, yeah, so I'm still 129 00:07:37,150 --> 00:07:39,630 Dr. Brendan Nelson: involved. I'm often asked, by the way, Sean, whether I 130 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,230 Dr. Brendan Nelson: miss politics, and I say, " No, I don't miss politics, 131 00:07:42,230 --> 00:07:43,980 Dr. Brendan Nelson: but I do miss some of the people." And in 132 00:07:43,980 --> 00:07:46,630 Dr. Brendan Nelson: a sense, the war memorial's like that. So the pattern of 133 00:07:46,630 --> 00:07:49,500 Dr. Brendan Nelson: my life has been, I put 150% into everything, but 134 00:07:49,500 --> 00:07:52,120 Dr. Brendan Nelson: once I finish, I finish and let my successors get 135 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:52,410 Dr. Brendan Nelson: on with. 136 00:07:52,890 --> 00:07:54,560 Sean Aylmer: So, I mean, I want to get onto Boeing here, but there's 137 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:56,920 Sean Aylmer: just not that little bit of you thinking, " God, I wish I was in 138 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:58,270 Sean Aylmer: an election campaign at the moment"? 139 00:08:00,290 --> 00:08:04,050 Dr. Brendan Nelson: No. No, there's not. It's interesting, it was an immense 140 00:08:04,050 --> 00:08:06,580 Dr. Brendan Nelson: privilege to be... I was the Member for Bradfield, and 141 00:08:07,190 --> 00:08:10,010 Dr. Brendan Nelson: many of your listeners know I was minister for education, science, training, 142 00:08:10,010 --> 00:08:13,440 Dr. Brendan Nelson: and minister of defense, party leader. But of all of the 143 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:17,770 Dr. Brendan Nelson: things I did, the thing I didn't like the most 144 00:08:17,770 --> 00:08:21,020 Dr. Brendan Nelson: was electioneering. Getting out and kissing babies, and standing at 145 00:08:21,020 --> 00:08:24,790 Dr. Brendan Nelson: the train stations, knocking on doors, copping the abuse. And 146 00:08:24,790 --> 00:08:28,030 Dr. Brendan Nelson: as you know, if you do it, people say, " Oh, the 147 00:08:28,030 --> 00:08:29,940 Dr. Brendan Nelson: only time we see them is when there's an election 148 00:08:29,940 --> 00:08:32,270 Dr. Brendan Nelson: on." And then if you don't do it, they say, " Oh, 149 00:08:32,270 --> 00:08:35,350 Dr. Brendan Nelson: they don't care about us." And so, yeah, it was a 150 00:08:35,350 --> 00:08:37,360 Dr. Brendan Nelson: part of the job I did not like, the electioneering. 151 00:08:37,420 --> 00:08:38,319 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Definitely don't miss that. 152 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:41,100 Sean Aylmer: Having worked in the press gallery, I must say I 153 00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:44,930 Sean Aylmer: think politicians are some of the most misunderstood people, because 154 00:08:45,410 --> 00:08:49,310 Sean Aylmer: everyone in that place works really hard and generally does as well 155 00:08:49,750 --> 00:08:51,910 Sean Aylmer: as they can. And I think we forget that. Look, I want 156 00:08:51,910 --> 00:08:54,579 Sean Aylmer: to move on to Boeing. Now, I just didn't realize 157 00:08:54,580 --> 00:08:56,220 Sean Aylmer: how big Boeing was in Australia. 158 00:08:57,030 --> 00:08:59,120 Dr. Brendan Nelson: It is. And coming back to it, by the way, 159 00:08:59,450 --> 00:09:02,730 Dr. Brendan Nelson: when Boeing approached me about doing this job, I thought, " 160 00:09:02,730 --> 00:09:06,050 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Yeah." I was approached by a number of companies and government 161 00:09:06,410 --> 00:09:09,730 Dr. Brendan Nelson: side of things, but I was attracted to Boeing because 162 00:09:09,730 --> 00:09:12,260 Dr. Brendan Nelson: when you think back over more than a century to 163 00:09:12,260 --> 00:09:17,830 Dr. Brendan Nelson: those companies that have advanced humankind, Boeing is arguably at 164 00:09:17,830 --> 00:09:21,380 Dr. Brendan Nelson: least in the top 10. And Boeing in Australia, it's 165 00:09:21,380 --> 00:09:24,839 Dr. Brendan Nelson: currently the largest presence Boeing has outside the United States. 166 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,800 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Although, India looks like they'll overtake us this year in terms of 167 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:32,500 Dr. Brendan Nelson: headcount. And we've had a presence here for 95 years. 168 00:09:32,500 --> 00:09:36,550 Dr. Brendan Nelson: And what also attracted me was the diverse portfolio of 169 00:09:36,550 --> 00:09:39,290 Dr. Brendan Nelson: interest the company has. So by the way, of the 170 00:09:39,290 --> 00:09:43,010 Dr. Brendan Nelson: now 4, 200 employees Boeing has in Australia, there's only 171 00:09:43,010 --> 00:09:49,900 Dr. Brendan Nelson: a handful of Americans. They're basically 4, 190 Australians. And 172 00:09:49,900 --> 00:09:55,840 Dr. Brendan Nelson: the portfolio of interest in robotics, artificial intelligence, commercial airplanes, 173 00:09:55,840 --> 00:10:01,170 Dr. Brendan Nelson: now space. Defense, of course, research and technology, and advanced 174 00:10:01,170 --> 00:10:04,559 Dr. Brendan Nelson: manufacturing. I thought, " Yeah, this is exactly what I'd like 175 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:07,130 Dr. Brendan Nelson: to do." And the fact that the company had had 176 00:10:07,130 --> 00:10:11,550 Dr. Brendan Nelson: challenges made the job more attractive. And I'd had dealings 177 00:10:11,550 --> 00:10:14,439 Dr. Brendan Nelson: with Boeing since my time as minister of defense. Some of them 178 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,850 Dr. Brendan Nelson: started off as quite tense, around a couple of projects 179 00:10:17,850 --> 00:10:20,729 Dr. Brendan Nelson: we had. But the response that the company made, I 180 00:10:20,730 --> 00:10:24,040 Dr. Brendan Nelson: actually said to Boeing when I was minister of defense, I said, " 181 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:26,689 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Look, you need to increase your investment in Australia. You 182 00:10:26,690 --> 00:10:30,150 Dr. Brendan Nelson: need to further demonstrate a commitment to my country." And 183 00:10:30,500 --> 00:10:33,270 Dr. Brendan Nelson: I'm not suggesting the company did it because I said it, but that's exactly 184 00:10:33,270 --> 00:10:36,390 Dr. Brendan Nelson: what it's done. And I feel very proud to be 185 00:10:36,390 --> 00:10:38,950 Dr. Brendan Nelson: the president and chairman in Australia. 186 00:10:39,730 --> 00:10:45,070 Sean Aylmer: Look, I have to ask you about the Airpower Teaming System, that's Boeing's first uncrewed 187 00:10:45,070 --> 00:10:47,500 Sean Aylmer: system to be designed and developed in Australia. Now, I've 188 00:10:47,500 --> 00:10:50,270 Sean Aylmer: just seen videos online, very impressive. 189 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:54,220 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Yeah, it's a great story. And a number of my 190 00:10:54,220 --> 00:10:57,080 Dr. Brendan Nelson: equivalents in competitive companies have said to me, " Gee, this 191 00:10:57,170 --> 00:11:00,699 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Loyal Wingman," or now the Ghost Bat as it's officially called, " 192 00:11:00,700 --> 00:11:04,750 Dr. Brendan Nelson: is just a magnificent project, and good for Australia and 193 00:11:04,750 --> 00:11:07,260 Dr. Brendan Nelson: good for defense industry." And you just think about this, 194 00:11:07,260 --> 00:11:12,200 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Sean, that in around 2016 the company engineers and the 195 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:16,479 Dr. Brendan Nelson: people who work on new ideas were tossing around ideas 196 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:21,900 Dr. Brendan Nelson: for a disruptive military aircraft technology. And so, from conceiving 197 00:11:21,900 --> 00:11:27,780 Dr. Brendan Nelson: the idea, then to designing it, building it, and flying 198 00:11:27,780 --> 00:11:29,820 Dr. Brendan Nelson: it, was just over three years. 199 00:11:30,420 --> 00:11:30,610 Sean Aylmer: Incredible. 200 00:11:30,850 --> 00:11:36,309 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Yeah, no. The first military aircraft designed and built in Australia by Australians. A 201 00:11:36,309 --> 00:11:40,059 Dr. Brendan Nelson: very large investment by Boeing, for which I give immense 202 00:11:40,059 --> 00:11:43,859 Dr. Brendan Nelson: credit particularly to the American company for doing so. And 203 00:11:43,860 --> 00:11:48,290 Dr. Brendan Nelson: then, uniquely, we've now got the Royal Australian Air Force, 204 00:11:48,290 --> 00:11:50,640 Dr. Brendan Nelson: so in other words, if you like, the customer, that 205 00:11:50,740 --> 00:11:54,200 Dr. Brendan Nelson: has co- invested in the project. And I give a 206 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:57,949 Dr. Brendan Nelson: great credit to the leadership of RAAF, and to the 207 00:11:57,950 --> 00:12:01,560 Dr. Brendan Nelson: defense minister at the time, Christopher Pine, for having the 208 00:12:02,250 --> 00:12:04,739 Dr. Brendan Nelson: courage, and this is increasingly the model we are going to have 209 00:12:04,740 --> 00:12:08,540 Dr. Brendan Nelson: to pursue, where instead of defense having a shopping list 210 00:12:08,540 --> 00:12:10,780 Dr. Brendan Nelson: and saying, " Well, these are the things we need," and going to 211 00:12:10,780 --> 00:12:13,390 Dr. Brendan Nelson: industry and saying, " What can you provide us with?" In 212 00:12:13,390 --> 00:12:16,240 Dr. Brendan Nelson: this case, we've come along with an idea, we've invested 213 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:20,160 Dr. Brendan Nelson: in it. We've developed it to a certain point, and then the government has said, " 214 00:12:20,210 --> 00:12:24,479 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Okay, we'll co- invest in this." So it's an artificial 215 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:29,330 Dr. Brendan Nelson: intelligence or autonomous Airpower Teaming System. It's an aircraft that 216 00:12:29,330 --> 00:12:35,460 Dr. Brendan Nelson: has fifth- generation design and flight characteristics. Basically, it can 217 00:12:35,460 --> 00:12:38,610 Dr. Brendan Nelson: fly extremely fast. I won't be specific, but it'll keep 218 00:12:38,610 --> 00:12:40,780 Dr. Brendan Nelson: up with a Super Hornet, a Growler. It can fly 219 00:12:40,780 --> 00:12:44,800 Dr. Brendan Nelson: with a Wedgetail, an F- 35. And we have flown it, of course, 220 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:48,449 Dr. Brendan Nelson: now, and we're conducting quite advanced testing with it. We 221 00:12:48,450 --> 00:12:52,160 Dr. Brendan Nelson: have several aircraft we have now built, we've got half 222 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:55,640 Dr. Brendan Nelson: a dozen in different stages of production. It is designed 223 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:59,450 Dr. Brendan Nelson: for export, and obviously we're very focused on the United 224 00:12:59,450 --> 00:13:02,640 Dr. Brendan Nelson: States and the US military. And we have a number 225 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,440 Dr. Brendan Nelson: of other countries that we're negotiating with at the moment, 226 00:13:05,460 --> 00:13:08,219 Dr. Brendan Nelson: exporting it from Australia. And the other thing I know, 227 00:13:08,220 --> 00:13:10,340 Dr. Brendan Nelson: which is really important to us, as it is to 228 00:13:10,340 --> 00:13:15,550 Dr. Brendan Nelson: your listeners, is it's now about 75% of the value of 229 00:13:15,610 --> 00:13:20,870 Dr. Brendan Nelson: the aircraft is actually Australian SMEs. And so, BAE Systems 230 00:13:20,870 --> 00:13:24,210 Dr. Brendan Nelson: has done an immense amount of work for us, but 231 00:13:24,370 --> 00:13:27,420 Dr. Brendan Nelson: all of the other, the 34 other companies, they're basically 232 00:13:27,420 --> 00:13:30,420 Dr. Brendan Nelson: small and medium- sized businesses. I won't be too specific, 233 00:13:30,420 --> 00:13:33,400 Dr. Brendan Nelson: but you've got right through to a trucking company that's 234 00:13:33,580 --> 00:13:38,960 Dr. Brendan Nelson: helping us with electricals, and engineering companies, electronics companies, and 235 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,100 Dr. Brendan Nelson: we're rapidly building the workforce for it. And we've got 236 00:13:42,100 --> 00:13:46,040 Dr. Brendan Nelson: a very high- tech resin- infused composite manufacturing facility in 237 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:49,110 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Melbourne, which has enabled us to do the fuselage, which 238 00:13:49,110 --> 00:13:52,240 Dr. Brendan Nelson: is 13 meters long, in a single piece. And then the 239 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:56,070 Dr. Brendan Nelson: assembly facility, supported by the Queensland Government, is going to 240 00:13:56,070 --> 00:14:00,780 Dr. Brendan Nelson: be at WellCamp, outside Toowoomba, the airstrip there. And we'll 241 00:14:00,780 --> 00:14:03,990 Dr. Brendan Nelson: be building that facility late this year, and about 200 242 00:14:03,990 --> 00:14:06,750 Dr. Brendan Nelson: jobs there, by the way, for assembly of the aircraft. 243 00:14:07,460 --> 00:14:08,130 Dr. Brendan Nelson: It's fantastic. 244 00:14:08,450 --> 00:14:09,210 Sean Aylmer: It's quite a news story. 245 00:14:09,610 --> 00:14:09,939 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Yeah, it is. Yeah. 246 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:12,490 Sean Aylmer: Yeah. Brendan, thank you very much for talking to Fear 247 00:14:12,490 --> 00:14:12,930 Sean Aylmer: and Greed. 248 00:14:13,100 --> 00:14:13,910 Dr. Brendan Nelson: Yeah. Thank you, Sean. 249 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,550 Sean Aylmer: That was Dr. Brendan Nelson. President of Boeing Australia, New 250 00:14:46,550 --> 00:14:50,330 Sean Aylmer: Zealand, and South Pacific and former director of the Australian War Memorial. 251 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:52,740 Sean Aylmer: This is the Fear and Greed daily interview. Join us every 252 00:14:52,740 --> 00:14:55,470 Sean Aylmer: morning for the full episode of Fear and Greed, Australia's 253 00:14:55,470 --> 00:14:58,910 Sean Aylmer: most popular business podcast. I'm Sean Aylmer. Enjoy your day.