Australian Broadcasting Corporation News

Australia's chief cyber security chief said on Tuesday an investigation into the hacking of defense contractor Austal Ltd could take years, rejecting a local media report that his agency had concluded the attack originated from Iran.Austal said earlier this month hackers had breached its defenses to gain access to ship designs and that some staff email addresses and mobile phone numbers were accessed.The attack triggered an investigation by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), the country's top cyber security unit.

Officials in Australia and Japan on Monday expressed scepticism and confusion over a pledge by Prime Minister Tony Abbott to give an Australian state-owned shipbuilder the option to tender for a major submarine contract, heightening the uncertainty around the project. Sources have said Australia is strongly considering buying a version of the 4,000-tonne Soryu-class submarine built by Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries to replace its ageing Collins-class fleet. But Abbott on Sunday promised shipbuilder ASC Ltd the option to bid for the next-generation submarines, worth as much as A$40 billion ($31 billion), in an attempt to shore up support ahead of a challenge to his leadership from within the ruling Liberal Party.

ExxonMobil's $19 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Papua New Guinea, which is shipping its first cargo, is set to dramatically transform one of Asia-Pacific's most unstable countries, for better or for worse. The LNG venture, which is expected to produce more than 9 trillion cubic feet of gas over 30 years, is the largest private investment in the South Pacific nation's history. ExxonMobil is relying on projects like this one for much-needed production growth, while the Papua New Guinea government hopes it might double its $15 billion dollar economy, now slightly larger than Botswana's. But sharing the spoils of resource projects has previously torn apart a country that is seen as one of the most corrupt in the world…

Cement dust aboard a ship bound for Adelaide has been contaminated by sea water, turning the cargo into cement, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has reported. The incident reportedly occurred aboard the CSL Yarra, a 46,000 ton bulk carrier. "A fire hydrant has leaked sea water into a machinery space which has residual cargo from the last discharge," Australian Maritime Union South Australian secretary Rick Newlyn is reported to have said. "It was cement and that's of some concern, but not enough to change the voyage."

The South Australian Government has approved another $86m to expand the Osborne shipbuilding site in Adelaide. South Australian Premier Mike Rann met with the state's defense industry advisory board chairman, General Peter Cosgrove, on July 6 to brief him on the Techport Australia expansion. The Australian Broadcasting Company reports that the total development budget has reached $183m with another shipbuilding berth to be established at the site, along with more rail tracks. Techport Australia will eventually have the capacity to build the air warfare destroyers, as well as sections for the $1.5b amphibious ship program. (Source: The Australian Broadcasting Corporation)