Bill Shorten Suffering from Shipbuilding Amnesia
Labor’s warning over the future of Australian defense manufacturing is absolute hypocrisy, Defense Minister David Johnston said today. Speaking from Perth, Senator Johnston, said the so-called shipbuilding Valley of Death was created by Labor because rather than steering the country forward and making sound strategic decisions they spent six years bickering in the back seat over who should be driving. “It was the former government which cut Defense spending to its lowest levels since 1938," Senator Johnston said.
Australian Defence Minister Sets Naval Shipbuilding Record Straight
Speaking from Perth, Defence Minister Senator Johnston, said the so-called ship-building 'Valley of Death' was created by Labor because rather than steering the country forward and making sound strategic decisions they spent six years bickering in the back seat over who should be driving. Labor’s warning over the future of Australian defence manufacturing is absolute hypocrisy, claimed the Defence Minister in a government news release.“It was the former government which cut Defence spending to its lowest levels since 1938," Senator Johnston said.
Australian Navy Collins Class Submarines Update
Minister for Defense Stephen Smith and Minister for Defense Materiel Mike Kelly today announced further significant initiatives to both maintain the capability of Australia’s Collins Class submarine fleet and further improve Collins Class maintenance, sustainment and availability. The Collins Class submarine fleet of six submarines is an essential part of Australia’s national security capability. The first Collins Class submarine, HMAS Collins, was commissioned in July 1996. The sixth and last of the Collins Class, HMAS Rankin, was commissioned in March 2003. The Collins Class was designed with a theoretical platform life of 28 years, which provides for an on paper indicative service life for the fleet of 2024 to 2031.
HMAS Toowoomba Returns From the Middle East
Minister for Defense Stephen Smith today welcomed HMAS Toowoomba home from a six-month deployment to the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO). Minister Smith greeted the crew at her homeport Fleet Base West (HMAS Stirling), Rockingham, Western Australia. HMAS Toowoomba is an ANZAC Class Frigate with a crew of 191 men and women. As part of Operation SLIPPER, she provided essential naval support to International Maritime Security Operations in the Arabian Gulf. While deployed, HMAS Toowoomba participated in counter-terrorism operations in the Gulf of Oman and North Arabian Sea…
Austal Welcomes Defence Delegation
Austal receives a high profile defence delegation, including the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, at its Western Australian facility. The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, the UK Secretary of State for Defence, was accompanied by Australia’s Minister for Defence, the Hon Stephen Smith, MP; Australia’s Chief of Defence Force, General David Hurley, AC, DSC; Australia’s Defence Secretary, Mr Dennis Richardson, AO and other defence personnel from both the United Kingdom and Australia.
Warship Construction Delay Beneficial Says Australia's Defence
Australia is constructing three Air Warfare Destroyers (AWD) & Defence Ministry has been advised it best to allow more time between each keel-laying. Minister for Defence Stephen Smith, Minister for Finance and Deregulation Senator Penny Wong and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare attended the laying of the keel of the first Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) in Adelaide and provided an update on the $8 billion project. ASC in Adelaide is the principal shipbuilder in the project. BAE Systems in Melbourne, Forgacs in Newcastle and Navantia in Spain are also building modular blocks which will be brought together by ASC at the South Australian Government’s Common User Facility in Adelaide where the ships are being assembled.
