US Ambassador to Australia denies reports of a new military port being secretly planned for Darwin

PERSISTENT talk of secret plans for a new port outside Darwin to accommodate visit­ing marines has been debunked by the US ambassador to Australia.

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PERSISTENT talk of secret plans for a new port outside Darwin to accommodate visit­ing marines has been debunked by the US ambassador to Australia.

Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr, who has been in Darwin visit­ing the US Rotational Force Darwin marines, said reports a new port ­facility would be built in Darwin were a mystery.

“In our budgetary process, there is authorisation for a military infrastructure project in the Northern Territory,” he said.

“It is not a port facility. This is a little bit of a mystery.

US Ambassador to Australia Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr and Defence Minister Senator Linda Reynolds. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

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“If you look at the AUSMIN announcements, the Australian and United States governments have agreed to build some important infrastructure here.

“At RAAF Darwin and RAAF Tindal between now and 2026, we intend to spend more than $US300m.

“We are focusing on infrastructure to support the air force and marines.”

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said the important point to note on US defence spending was that it was on top of $8bn committed by the federal government to Defence projects. “We are working very closely with the US government and officials to make sure it is co-ordinated and ultimately it will be one large development project.

“In relation to port facilities, the main military port here in Darwin is HMAS Coonawarra and the Australian Government is putting nearly $500 million into the upgrade of Coonawarra and the broader Larrakeyah precinct.

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“Darwin is and will remain a critically important port for the Australian Defence Force, but of course we are now looking for the next decade-plus of development … not only for the Australian government, but also for the things we now do in co-operation with the US.”