Coalition suppressed auditor’s finding that $1.3bn Thales arms deal could have cost half with US | Australia news | The Guardian

A Hawkei vehicle

Thales wanted the six-paragraph cost-comparison between its Hawkei vehicle and the JLTV stripped from the report because it would impact its “marketability”.
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“The vehicle cost-comparison in the impugned paragraphs purports to benchmark the cost and capability of the Hawkei and JLTV, in a way that implies that the JLTV is comparable and commensurable to the Hawkei, but approximately half the price,” Thales argued in court documents.

“This would prejudice Thales, the Commonwealth of Australia and Australian entities in the supply chain for the production of the Hawkei because it would detrimentally impact the marketability, and therefore the export prospects, of the Hawkei.”

via Coalition suppressed auditor’s finding that $1.3bn Thales arms deal could have cost half with US | Australia news | The Guardian