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No subs guarantee for SA: Briggs

Aug 29, 2014
Alsays a political hotspot; Adelaide's ASC facility

Alsays a political hotspot; Adelaide's ASC facility

There will be a “jobs bonanza”, but no guarantee that Australia’s 12 new submarines will be built in Adelaide, says Federal Liberal Minister Jamie Briggs.

The Assistant Minister for Infrastructure clarified his party’s position in a radio interview this morning in a clear departure from the May 2013 pre-election commitment by Defence Minister David Johnston that: “The Coalition today is committed to building 12 new submarines here in Adelaide.”

Briggs also revealed that he and his fellow federal Liberal MPs met with Prime Minister Tony Abbott last Friday to plead South Australia’s case.

“There was a meeting of all the SA (Liberal) federal MPs and Tony Abbott and we talked about the importance of the work to South Australia,” he told FIVEaa’s breakfast program.

“As the PM said, there will be a jobs bonanza for SA from the next submarines contract.”

Briggs, however, confirmed that no decision had been made on where the submarines will be built – only that whatever work is done in Australia will be done in SA.

“The government is going through a process called a Defence White paper.

“The submarines decision will be made on the basis of what’s the best decision for Australia’s defence needs, not an industry policy decision.

“It will be the best defence outcome for the taxapayers and the defence of Australia.

“Whatever work will be done on subs in Australia will be done in Adelaide.

“The decision will see substantially more new jobs in Adelaide.”

The Future Submarines Project has its origins in the 2009 Defence White Paper.

The Department of Defence and the Rudd Labor government recommended a $30 billion doubling of Australia’s submarine fleet to 12 boats by 2030-2040, all of which would be a new successor design that would replace the RAN’s Collins Class submarines. They were to be built in Adelaide.

The 2015 White Paper may well come up with a different view.

The Australian Submarine Corporation, meanwhile, was buoyed during the week by the release of the fourth and final review into the Collins Class submarine maintenance program.

The report found that two and frequently three submarines are now available for deployment at any one time, an improvement on recent years when Australia’s capacity was often down to one boat at a time.

“The report notes remarkable progress in several areas,” Defence Minister Johnston said.

“This includes greater availability of spares, less planned maintenance over-runs, fewer breakdowns and faster repairs to operational boats when problems occur.”

The final report also confirmed an increasingly collaborative effort by all partners involved—Navy, Defence Materiel Organisation and the submarine maintenance contractor, ASC.

“The signs are encouraging but there are still risks ahead with more work needing to be done,” Johnston said.

“The Collins Class is a sophisticated platform which operates in a demanding environment and continued improvements in availability will lack resilience until the Coles recommendations are fully implemented.”

 

 

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