Brisbane on shortlist for new nuclear submarine base

A major submarine base capable of hosting Australia’s future nuclear fleet could be built in Brisbane, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison set to make an announcement. VOTE IN OUR POLL

A major submarine base capable of hosting Australia’s future nuclear fleet could be built in Brisbane, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison making the announcement in a speech warning of the far-reaching consequences of the war in Ukraine.

The Port of Brisbane — alongside Port Kembla and Newcastle, both in NSW — has been shortlisted as a strategic location for a new submarine base to complement capacity at Fleet Base West.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to make the announcement during a national security speech today, in which he will also link Russia’s invasion to Ukraine as a stark reminder of the threats Australia could face in its own backyard.

Condemning Russia’s “abhorrent actions” in the strongest possible terms, Mr Morrison said the invasion of Ukraine was the “latest example” of an authoritarian regime seeking to challenge the status quo through “threats and violence”.

Excerpts of Mr Morrison’s speech, seen by The Courier-Mail, do not mention China by name — but points to increasing militarisation in the Indo-Pacific, the “spectre of terrorism” and threats proliferated by both “state and non-state actors”.

“Our rules-based international order, built upon the principles and values that guide our own nation, has for decades supported peace and stability, and allowed sovereign nations to pursue their interests free from coercion. This is now under assault,” he said.

“A new arc of autocracy is instinctively aligning to challenge and reset the world order in their own image.

“We face the spectre of a transactional world, devoid of principle, accountability and transparency, where state sovereignty, territorial integrity and liberty are surrendered for respite from coercion and intimidation, or economic entrapment dressed up as economic reward.”

Parts of the government’s move to secure Australia’s backyard has included purchasing nuclear submarines, with a new base to be built on the east coast to support existing capacity in Western Australia.

The Port of Brisbane made the shortlist after a review of 19 sites by Defence, with the top three picked for factor including closeness to industrial infrastructure and having a large enough population to draw upon for the submarine workforce.

Mr Morrison said his Government had authorised Defence to “immediately begin engaging” with the New South Wales and Queensland governments, along with councils and authorities, to negotiate the “enormous undertaking”.

It is expected authorities will be in a position to make a decision on the preferred port by end 2023.

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