Tory Shepherd: Shipbuilding announcement great, but cynical South Australians keep eye on future

ONLY a cynic would think that shoring up SA seats is why the shipbuilding announcement came this week. Still, Australians have learned to be cynics when it comes to politics.

N38ht209 B1 An artist�s impression of the new Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyer. The ship�s hull blocks will be fabricated in Williamstown. Pic supplied by Defence Australia

• ANNOUNCEMENT: Ships deal to save Adelaide jobs
• NICK XENOPHON: Show us the contracts
• CHRISTOPHER PYNE: SA dodges valley of death
• JAY WEATHERILL: Thousands of SA workers can breathe easier
• FUTURE: Will Adelaide win the future subs contract?

WELL, we weren’t expecting that.

About every second day, rumours start to circulate that a shipbuilding or submarine announcement is nigh.

Just before lunch, a shiver of hearsay spread through Parliament House. Something was afoot. Then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Defence Minister Marise Payne gave us the good news — the Offshore Patrol Vessel project would at least begin in Adelaide.

A cynic would note that the happy announcement — a boon for both SA and WA, which will build the remainders of the OPVs as well as up to 21 Pacific patrol boats — comes at a wobbly time for the Government.

Two polls this week (already!) have shown the Government is at risk of losing the looming July 2 election. Once the Nick Xenophon factor is taken into account, even Industry Minister Christopher Pyne, SA’s most senior Liberal, could be in for a shock.

(Labor is set to announce a challenger in his seat of Sturt, with the frontrunner at this point being experienced campaigner Matt Loader.)

An artist’s impression of the new Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyer. Picture: Defence Australia

Only a cynic would think that shoring up SA seats is why this announcement came in a week when so much else, from protesting truckies to the potential dissolution of the Parliament to the plummeting polls, was going on.

Still, Australians have learned to be cynics when it comes to politics. And political chicanery doesn’t change the fact that this is good news.

There will be those who want all 12 OPVs built in Adelaide but that was always an ambit claim. What is important is to keep as many workers down at Techport as we can.

What we are yet to see is how many jobs that ends up being, how quickly the jobs ramp back up once work starts to flow, and the future of ASC.

WA shipbuilders Austal are understood to be willing to buy ASC if the Government decides to sell, which could lead to more discussion on how much work goes to each state.

Anyway, must dash. There’s a rumour the Government is set to announce the Future Submarines project ….