Missing spot for submarine maintenance at Osborne shipyards raises fears SA hopes sunk
A secret Defence Department document has revealed plans to rid South Australia of full-cycle docking — a move that would cost SA 700 jobs and move Collins-class maintenance work to WA.
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Full-cycle docking would disappear from Adelaide’s shipyards in 2024 under a plan developed under instruction from the Defence department, new documents show.
Documents, obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, show one of the department’s top brass issued instructions for the shipyards to be designed without Adelaide playing a long-term role in future Collins Class Submarine sustainment work.
The work, which impacts about 700 jobs, has been the subject of a State of Origin battle after West Australia launched a bid to wrest the contract from South Australia.
In August, The Advertiser revealed almost 800 businesses could be affected and a further $400 million in economic activity could be lost each year if program went to WA.
The FOI documents have raised questions about whether Defence had already determined WA was the best place to undertake the sustainment work, as far back as 2017.
The Defence department told The Advertiser “a range of options for the future location of Collins full-cycle docking continues to be examined”.
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has continuously said no decision has been made.
The documents contain a letter from the Head of the Future Submarine Program, Rear Admiral Greg Sammut, to Naval Group Executive Director Jean-Michel Billig.
He said the when designing a plan for the shipyards “Collins Class full-cycle dockings (FCD) must not be impacted until the completion of docking in 2024”.
He said “land currently occupied by ASC Submarines would be made available to Naval Group following this FCD to allow for further development of the submarine construction yard, inclusive of access to Port Adelaide River”.
Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick, who requested the documents, told The Advertiser the cart had been placed before the horse. “The decision to shift full-cycle dockings is a decision of Cabinet, not one for the future submarine project or even the navy,” Senator Patrick said. “Shifting full-cycle dockings to WA will come at huge cost to the taxpayer, will gut ASC’s full-cycle docking expertise, will erode submarine availability and therefore harm national security.
“Collins FCD staying in Adelaide is the least costly and most conservative option which should have, in absence of any other guidance, been the basis for the design.”
A Defence spokeswoman said the report released under FOI “addressed only one future location option” but did not respond to questions about whether alternative plans, included provisions for full-cycle docking in Adelaide, had been prepared.
“The Government will review all options in detail later this year,” she said.
“The Government is fully aware of the need to preserve the core Collins submarine expertise currently in South Australia, which will underpin full- cycle dockings and life-of-type extension of the Collins fleet into the future. Other relevant factors for consideration include wider workforce demands and facilities.”
Premier Steven Marshall said there was plenty of land at Osborne.
“We will ensure the Commonwealth has all the land it needs for ASC and Naval Group to coexist at Osborne,” he said.
Last week The Advertiser revealed the State Government had handed over another four hectares to the construction company tasked with overseeing the $1.2 billion infrastructure upgrade of the precinct.