Victoria is aiming to get the space agency while WA is willing to take submarine jobs

WESTERN Australia is “ready, willing and able” to take over South Australia’s submarine sustainment work, while Victoria’s Premier reckons Melbourne should be the new space agency’s home.

• Secret plans to move the subs
• WA sniffing for more submarine work
• SA set for fraction of shipbuilding work

SOUTH Australia’s push to become both the defence and space state has sparked a wave of interstate jealousy.

Western Australia is “ready, willing and able” to take over SA’s submarine sustainment work and Victoria has formally bid to house the nation’s new space agency.

With thousands of jobs and billions of dollars on the line, other states are all angling for more of the action.

Most vocal has been WA Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds, who claimed SA had not been seen as a great role model.

The self-professed “spruiker in chief” for the defence industry told website Defence Connect that there was enough work to go around.

“WA companies generally don’t look for subsidies or a handout if things aren’t going well,” she said.

“The word ‘mendicant’ has often been used.

“Other states have criticised SA for getting the lion’s share of defence work, and WA is particularly upset that we don’t get as much GST per head.”

The Federal Government has finished contingency planning for moving full-cycle sustainment of the Collins class submarines – effectively a full overhaul service – to WA.

That could mean up to 700 jobs – but Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said no decision had been made.

Senator Reynolds said WA was “very keen” and had put a case forward.

“We are certainly ready, willing and able to take it,” she said – adding the new National Space Agency was also one of the state’s most exciting new opportunities.

Premier Steven Marshall and Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas have joined forces to call for the agency to be based in Adelaide.

Meanwhile, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said it was time for his state to build Australian satellites as he launched a bid to host the country’s space agency.

“We’re already home to some of the biggest names in aerospace,” he said.

“We built Australian cars for decades,” he said.

Australia’s first satellite was launched from Woomera, and nano-satellites are already being built here. Mr Pyne said he was working hard to deliver the benefits of the $200 billion defence spend nationally, “including in WA”.