‘Cautious optimism’ about the future of SA’s shipbuilding industry

DAVE Coulthard knows better than anyone the struggle which lies ahead for Port Adelaide’s manufacturing.

Workers Glen Dallimore and Dave Coulthard are optimistic about the construction of offshore patrol vessels at ASC in Osborne. Picture: MATT LOXTON

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DAVE Coulthard knows better than anyone the struggle which lies ahead for Port Adelaide’s manufacturing.

But Monday’s announcement gave the boilermaker a glimmer of hope for the future, with work set to start on offshore patrol vessels in Adelaide within two years, followed by the Future Frigates in four years.

He was one of the hundreds of workers leaving ASC’s Osborne site with buoyed hopes about the future of the state’s shipbuilding industry.

“It’s a step in the right direction for Australian shipbuilding because over the last year to 18 months it has been terrible,” Mr Coulthard said.

“My department was at 450 and now it’s down below 200 so this gives us a glimmer of hope but once we see pen on paper, that’s when the relief will come.”

Fitter and turner Glen Dallimore said it is a “definite step forward” more shipbuilding will be heading Adelaide’s way and the future “looks positive”.

“It’s still not enough to curb the valley of death,” Mr Dallimore said.

“Most of the shipbuilders here and in SA are going to lose their jobs because there are no signatures on paper and no absolute dates of cutting steel.

“And cutting steel is what shipbuilders do and that is what we are waiting for.”

The feeling among workers was “cautious optimism,” he said.

Insulation fitter David Oliver said the announcement went down well with his colleagues.

“It’s all good news and it’s a good thing for the boys in there because they deserve to have a job,” Mr Oliver said.

Foreman David Muller said the announcement was a good thing for shipbuilders as a lot of workers were “under the gun” amid uncertainty in the sector.

“Short term it is great however the long-term benefits are yet to be really seen or laid out for everybody to see in this state.

“The opportunity has been there for both parties of government to secure a long-term future for the shipbuilding workforce.

“Workers have been extremely worried before about jobs, to the point where we watched people go from there for the last two years and that’s a direct result of the hesitation to commit.”