Gunner accused of “begging” for ship lift money

The NT Chamber of Commerce has said a US condition that allow only their citizens to work on US naval vessels, would hinder the economic flow to NT businesses if they did end up using the proposed ship lift.

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner has been accused of being “inappropriate” for talking up US support for a ship lift in Darwin. Picture: Keri Megelus

THE Gunner Government has been accused of “shamelessly” begging for money to build a NT ship lift by outspoken backbencher Scott McConnell.

The Member for Stuart criticised Chief Minister Michael Gunner for being “inappropriate” when he talked up US support for a ship lift in Darwin, despite the Commonwealth Government making no funding commitments for the project.

Mr Gunner said the US Navy Secretary was very interested in the proposed facility to service the country’s ships. He also welcomed news that $300 million had been allocated by the US for navy construction projects in Darwin.

“It shows that the American government is more interested in investing in naval facilities in the north than the Australian government is,” he said.

Mr McConnell said he thought the Chief Minister should leave the geopolitics to the Prime Minister and Ministers for Defence and Foreign Affairs.

“He’s been begging in Canberra for money for the ship lift, going cattywampus and saying maybe the US will do it instead,” he said.

“It was disingenuous and clumsy.”

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NT Chamber of Commerce CEO Greg Bicknell said the Jones Act, which requires US contractors to complete any work on US naval vessels, would hinder the economic flow to NT businesses they did end up using the proposed ship lift.

“When I was in Guam there was a US Navy vessel and they had to fly in US contractors to work on it, so if we had their ships coming into the ship lift it would be less beneficial for locals than if it was an oil or gas ship,” he said.

IN OTHER NEWS

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said she will discuss the NT naval plans with her American counterpart this weekend.

She said $2 billion in infrastructure projects will roll out across Northern Australia as a part of the US Force Posture Initiatives (USFPI).

In the NT so far, work is underway on two contracts for $US 26 million at RAAF Base Darwin, including a contract of $US 2.1 million awarded to local company Sunbuild.

US forces are expected to inject up to $250 million into the NT economy next year and support up to 1062 jobs according to the Department of Defence.

Mr Gunner has been contacted for comment.