‘With all respect, Mr Downer you’ve got it wrong on subs’: Politicians, industry hit back

He may be political royalty but Alexander Downer has missed the point of the AUKUS subs plan, SA leaders from across the political spectrum say.

Political and defence industry heavyweights have shot down claims by former foreign minister Alexander Downer that the AUKUS nuclear-powered subs should not be built in Adelaide.

Australian Industry and Defence Network chief executive Brent Clark said any move away from the AUKUS pact would be disastrous.

“I think it would be a catastrophic outcome for Australian industry, and for the nation as a whole … quite clearly, there is absolutely no impediment to South Australia having the capacity and capability,” he said.

“The simple reality is there is no logical reason why we cannot build the nuclear submarine here … we have the industrial base and the workforce that can do it.”

However, he agreed with the assessment by Mr Downer that time was of the essence.

“Where I think Mr Downer is correct is, if we don’t start moving, then we will be incredibly late and then that does beg the question ‘Is it too late and should we just buy them?’,” Mr Clark said.

Former Liberal leader and foreign minister Alexander Downer. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Premier Peter Malinauskas continues to back a plan for local build. File picture: Roy VanDerVeg

“Our concern is that we are taking too much time to get going … while we have had a plan articulated by Government, we haven’t seen the rubber on the road.”

Mr Downer, a South Australian and longtime critic of the deal, said his preference was for the purchase of overseas-built submarines, arguing it was too costly to build here with better ways to create industry and grow local jobs.

“The reality is, it will never happen because it is so much money and is such a complex project,” Mr Downer said.

“I find it depressing that politicians aren’t levelling with people, that they are not being honest with the public … (they are) not telling us where the money is coming from and how the debt will be serviced.

“Not only will it cost us 30 or 40 per cent more to build the submarines in Adelaide than it would to buy off-the-shelf but when will they ever be built? Not in my lifetime?”

Premier Peter Malinauskas said “the complexity of this endeavour is not something to be feared”.

“A more complex economy means a more resilient one, with capacity to deliver more meaningful careers and a higher standard of living,” he said.

“Australia’s ambition to develop a nuclear-powered submarine building capability is not borne out of some state-specific industry policy, but rather a need to protect our sovereignty.

“Mr Downer’s comments fail to acknowledge that a central premise of the AUKUS pact is the establishment of a new, fourth AUKUS production line of nuclear-powered submarines.

“The fact is, there is simply not enough capacity in either the US or UK supply chains to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines on an ongoing basis; if Australia doesn’t invest in our own ship and submarine-manufacturing capacity, our sovereignty will be forever dependent on the generosity of other nations.”

Opposition Leader David Speirs agreed, saying: “Building nuclear-powered submarines in Adelaide is a generational opportunity to transform SA’s economy.”

SA Liberal senator Simon Birmingham added: “The challenge of building the nuclear-powered submarines is great but the rewards to our national security and industrial capabilities can be even greater.”

However, Australia Defence Association executive director Neil James said Mr Downer had got it right.

“The reality is that building the submarines in South Australia may mean we won’t get them in time … it is more important for Australia to get the submarines quickly than it is for them to be built in SA,” he said.