Sub maintenance jobs should not be moved from SA, trade union says

The engineers’ union warns that moving submarine maintenance jobs away from SA would be mothballing a perfectly good facility and its 700 expert workers.

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Moving submarine maintenance to Western Australia could cause a “second valley of death” in Adelaide, union officials warn.

But Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, who has called on both states to stop “making unsubstantiated claims” about the potential impacts, maintains no decision has been made.

Professionals Australia, the trade union representing engineers, says moving Collins Class full-cycle docking has “serious risks” including cost blowouts, job losses, and maintenance delays.

“We face the prospect of the Federal Government taking a decision to mothball a perfectly usable and state of the art facility in Osborne, effectively orchestrating a second ‘valley of death’ as we lose the skills of 700 expert workers,” its discussion paper into submarine sustainment states.

The union is worried SA engineers would struggle to find work because alternative jobs on the Attack Class submarine and the Hunter Class frigate build haven’t begun yet.

Alternative jobs on the future submarines and frigates have not yet begun.

“It’s difficult to see how it would be in the national interest to move full-cycle docking from Osborne,” it states.

Senator Reynolds said the government was considering “expert and industry advice” to inform the decision.

“Notwithstanding the independent report from Professionals Australia regarding full-cycle docking, it remains important to continue analysing options,” she said. “It is premature and irresponsible to make unsubstantiated claims on the possible implications.”

Australia’s sovereign naval shipbuilding capacity will be investigated by a Senate committee after Labor won crossbench support from Centre Alliance last week.

The inquiry, which is now taking submissions, will investigate the national shipbuilding plan, progress of naval shipbuilding and submarine defence procurement projects.

Labor frontbencher Mark Butler said: “We need this inquiry as part of our fight to protect defence jobs in SA.”