Richard Marles’ AUKUS update can’t guarantee nine frigates to be built in Australia
Deputy PM Richard Marles has reaffirmed his commitment to building nuclear submarines in Adelaide but fallen short of guaranteeing another part of a $45bn plan.
World
Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has reaffirmed his commitment to building nuclear submarines in Adelaide but fallen short of guaranteeing a $45bn plan to build nine frigates in Australia.
At a press conference in England overnight, Mr Marles batted away criticism that Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine project was financially unviable.
“Every step we have committed to so far has occurred on time,” he said.
Speaking at Rolls Royce’s nuclear reactor manufacturing site in Derby in England’s East Midlands, he vowed the government’s promise of continuous naval shipbuilding would be met in Adelaide but fell short of specifying where the Hunter Class frigates would be built.
Mr Marles was asked by News Corp whether the $45bn nine Hunter-class frigate project will be built in Adelaide amid speculation the project might move to a Scottish shipyard.
“In relation to the Type 26 frigates, the Hunter Class, work on that continues in Adelaide,” he said. “There have been delays on that over the past years related to the pandemic but there has been significant retrieval of that time line in what BAE has been doing.”
“Coming out of the defence strategic review … we will respond to that in the first quarter of next year … the future of the Hunter Class frigates has been considered in that review.
“The key recommendation of the defence strategic review was the proposition of continuous naval shipbuilding in Australia and that means the Osborne shipbuilding yard, that commitment remains central to any decisions this government will make.”
Mr Marles dismissed barbs by Australia’s former foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer that $368bn plans to build nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines at Adelaide’s Osborne shipyard would not go ahead because the cost will be prohibitive and the technological challenges are too great.
“There is no delay in developing the production line for building nuclear powered submarines in Adelaide, let’s be clear about that,” he said.
“Every step that we have committed to, so far, has occurred on time.
“We are in the process of working through with the South Australian Government on the transfer of land which will be the very place where the site is built for the production line.
“We have an expo in Adelaide this weekend which is about extolling the opportunities which come from building our nuclear powered submarines – we are right in the process of developing the workforce which will enable that to occur.
“We are absolutely on time and going at a pace for the development of the nuclear powered submarine production line.”
The Deputy Prime Minister spoke at a tour of the Rolls Royce facility to see the first nuclear propulsion plant components being fabricated for the UK’s SSN-AUKUS program.
Accompanied by UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, he thanked Britain and the US for their commitment through AUKUS to transferring their technology, skills, knowledge and expertise “for the safe and successful delivery of Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program.”
He also addressed the Hamas Israel war, saying the attacks by the terrorist organisation were “murder.”
“Every life matters, the lives of innocent Israelis, and the lives of innocent Palestinians, I’ve come from the states this week prior to being here and this is an issue we have been speaking about, around ensuring every effort can be made to see humanitarian efforts put in place for those suffering in Gaza.
“While there is a deep history in the Middle East, nothing justifies the attack of 7 October, it was an attack aimed at innocence, people going about their normal lives, going to a music festival, those were the people targeted by Hamas.
‘Because it was innocence, what we saw that day was murder and Israel has a right to defend itself but in exercising that right it is important Israel acts within the rules of law and the protection of civilian life is front and centre … we have been making that clear in our conversations with Israel.”
‘This is crazy’: Entire nation in a blackout
There are eerie scenes inside Cuba’s capital Havana which is at a virtual standstill after a power plant failure plunged the entire country into darkness.
‘I’m sorry I couldn’t save you’: Liam Payne’s sister breaks silence
Liam Payne’s sister has paid an emotional tribute to the brother “born with music in his veins” providing an insight into the demons that plagued him in the final years of his life.