Independent senator Nick Xenophon has sailed into an Adelaide press conference with a hand-built sign consisting of 12 toy submarines arranged into the number "12".
The crafty creation comes in response to Malcolm Turnbull distancing himself from a promise made before the last election to build Australia's next submarine fleet in South Australia.
"This is a reminder to our Prime Minister of the coalition's promise to build 12 of our future submarines here in Adelaide," Mr Xenophon said on Wednesday.
"Not six, not eight but 12 - with a minimum of 70 per cent local content as promised."
Mr Xenophon said the world is becoming more politically volatile and anything less than this will not protect Australia's national interests.
The South Australian senator said 12 submarines will also ensure a continuous build and avoid a so-called Valley of Death jobs crisis.
Mr Turnbull, who visited Adelaide on Wednesday, would not commit to the government's pre-election promise when pressed by reporters.
"We've got a competitive evaluation process underway and we're looking at all of those questions very carefully," he said.
This is despite David Johnston, the former defence minister, pledging the 12 submarines would be constructed in SA.
But Mr Turnbull said a country of Australia's size should have a large defence industry, not only building for domestic use but for export as well.
He cited the Hawkei armoured vehicles, to be built in Bendigo, as resources that could tap into overseas demand for defence innovation.
Adelaide-based shipbuilder ASC on Wednesday announced it would cut 45 jobs and plans to shed even more workers by the end of the year.
Boilermakers and welders at the shipbuilder's Osborne base were the latest casualties as the Warfare Destroyer project winds down.
Mr Xenophon said these losses could have been avoidable with the right government assistance.
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