Peter Malinauskas MP
Premier
Susan Close MP
Deputy Premier
Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science
Minister for Defence and Space Industries
Long term continuous naval shipbuilding in Adelaide has been secured for decades to come with the Federal Government confirming it will proceed with the construction of Hunter class frigates and a replacement vessel for the Navy’s Hobart class destroyers at Osborne.
Construction on the first Hunter class frigate will begin this year, with the Albanese Government committing funding to a program which will see the final Hunter frigate delivered to the Navy by 2043.
The Hunter class will be immediately followed by construction at Osborne of the replacement for Navy’s Hobart class destroyers.
The Commonwealth has also confirmed the Osborne shipyard will be used to upgrade the Hobart destroyers with the US Navy’s Aegis combat system.
The announcement coincides with the release of the Surface Ship Review, an independent analysis of Navy’s combatant fleet found in excess of $25 billion in unfunded promises in the former federal government’s acquisition and sustainment plans.
Under the new plans, the construction of the Hunter class frigates at Osborne will sustain at least 2,000 jobs and create at least 500 new jobs over the next decade.
These are in addition to the 4,000 estimated jobs required to build the new Submarine Construction Yard at Osborne, and the more than 4,000 direct jobs to build the nuclear-powered submarines themselves.
The Government has committed to increase Defence’s funding in the 2024-25 Federal Budget by $11.1 billion over the next decade to ensure the enhanced lethality surface combatant fleet is funded.
The work program for the Osborne shipyard now includes:
• Construction of Hunter class frigates
• Construction of SSN AUKUS submarines
• Construction of Air Warfare Destroyer replacement
• Upgrades to the current Air Warfare Destroyers
• Sustainment and Life of Type Extension of the Collins Class submarines
Quotes attributable to Peter Malinauskas
Today is a great day for South Australia, with confirmation a continuous shipbuilding program in Adelaide has been locked in for decades to come.
Hunter Class frigates will be continuously built in Adelaide through to 2043, and will be followed by the replacement for the Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers, which will also be built right here in Adelaide.
This surface shipbuilding workforce is in addition to the more than 4000 workers who will be building nuclear-powered AUKUS submarines in the same vicinity.
Our job now is to make sure we have the workforce ready to adopt these secure, highly skilled, well paid careers.
Quotes attributable to Susan Close
The Federal Government’s decision to commit to continuous surface shipbuilding in Adelaide for decades to come delivers long-term certainty for South Australian workers and businesses.
This means the State Government can continue to prepare the skilled workforce required for the mammoth task.
In conjunction with the Commonwealth, the South Australian Government has already prepared a Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Report.
We are already well down the track of beginning to build those opportunities, whether it be through innovations like the offer of degree apprenticeships or developing partnerships with employers like BAE to give graduates from our new Findon Technical College a direct pathway into a great job.
