South Australia Seeks Shipbuilding Job Guarantees
By Aiswarya Lakshmi
Monday, July 27, 2015
The South Australian Government has outlined three key points on shipbuilding it wants addressed by the Commonwealth's Defence White Paper next month.
It wants (1) a minimum 70 per cent Australian worker participation in the building, similar to the Collins Class submarines, (2) a guarantee the future naval submarines and frigates will be built in Australia and (3) that the local industry will have a continuous building program.
SA defence minister Martin Hamilton-Smith said: " The Federal Government must mandate for a minimum of 70 per cent Australian worker participation in the submarine and frigates build."
The Abbott Government has put the development of the next Australian submarine program through a competitive evaluation process.
South Australia has demanded an overseas submarine building program be ruled out before the federal government releases its Defence white paper.
South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill says a three-decade commitment is needed to ensure a strong manufacturing sector and economy.
"A strong manufacturing sector in South Australia and indeed the nation requires this nation to commit itself to a strong, local capacity to defend our nation with our own indigenous sovereign defence capability in the manufacturing sector," Weatherill said.