Turnbull tight-lipped on submarines

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has declined to answer questions about who will build Australia's next-generation submarines.

Cabinet's national security committee is expected to begin the formal process of considering bids from Japan, Germany and France.

But on Monday Mr Turnbull preferred to speak about decisions on offshore patrol boats and the Future Frigates, telling reporters in Canberra: "We're talking about surface vessels today".