Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visits Osborne submarine yard

Anthony Albanese has backed a planned merger of Adelaide’s universities to boost the skilled workforce during a visit to Adelaide’s naval shipbuilding headquarters today.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed the planned merger of Adelaide’s universities as a boost to developing the skilled workforce needed for nuclear-powered submarine construction.

Visiting the Osborne naval shipyard where he went aboard a Collins Class submarine, Mr Albanese said he backed Premier Peter Malinauskas’s “vision of bringing together the South Australian tertiary sector”.

The state government has kickstarted merger talks between the universities of Adelaide and South Australia under a plan to develop a research and educational powerhouse.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tours the Collins Class submarine at the Osborne shipyard in Adelaide. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Asked if he agreed with Mr Malinauskas that the biggest risk to Adelaide nuclear-powered submarine construction was developing a skilled workforce, Mr Albanese said expertise was already expanding in areas including nuclear engineering and associated courses.

“Peter’s vision of bringing together the South Australian tertiary sector will have real spin offs, I think as well, because what that will do is to increase the capacity to make sure that we get people in the right place at the right time,” Mr Albanese said.

Australia also was stepping up the presence of Australian submariners with partners in the AUKUS security pact, the United States and the United Kingdom.

“Experts, engineers and others are working right now, today, in the United States and in the United Kingdom so they get that experience as well. This is a well-thought-out plan,” Mr Albanese said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tours the Osborne naval shipyard with Deputy Premier Susan Close and Premier Peter Malinauskas on Monday. NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared the AUSKUS deal the “biggest investment in Australia’s defence capability in our history” before boarding a Collins Class sub in Adelaide today.

“Over the years to come, many billions of dollars creating jobs, creating innovation, making the best of Australian science, technology, innovation, here in Defence industries,” Mr Albanese said at a media conference at Adelaide’s naval shipbuilding HQ on Monday.

“This is an exciting project, AUKUS is the single biggest investment in Australia’s defence capability in our history.

“This will create some 20,000 jobs directly over the next 30 years, it will strengthen Australia’s national security and contribute to regional stability in response to the unprecedented regional challenges which we are facing.”

It’s the first time the PM has been in Adelaide since inking a $368bn AUKUS nuclear deal.

Branding the program to build eight nuclear-powered submarines at Osborne Naval Shipyard a “transformational moment”, Mr Albanese said SA would be at “at the epicentre of AUKUS and jobs”.

He went aboard an Adelaide-built Collins Class submarine, which undergo full-cycle dockings at ASC’s Osborne yard.

Virginia-class attack submarine Montana is the 10th Virginia-class submarine. Picture: US Navy, HII by Ashley Cowan

On March 14 he joined US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in San Diego to announce Australia would spend up to $368bn to deliver the historic nuclear submarine program.

The first stage of the AUKUS security pact features at least three boats bought from the US, upgrades to extend the life of the existing Collins Class fleet and eight Adelaide-made nuclear-powered submarines hitting the water from the 2040s.

“This is a transformational moment – for Australia, South Australia, our Defence Force and our economy,” Mr Albanese said, adding his government was working with SA to ensure AUKUS delivered “a generational dividend for South Australians”.

“I’m looking forward to visiting the shipyards and meeting some of the many South Australians who will help build the most complex machinery in history.”

Originally published as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visits Osborne submarine yard