Those to the left have their views of reality, as do those to the right, both blind to the fact that they are saying basically the same thing but with different heroes and subjects of scorn. The rest of us just risk concussion from bashing our heads against the wall in frustration.
Politicing has cost us our strategic ship building capability twice in the last forty years and has the potential to do it again. Traditionally a change of government has resulted in a lack of major defence project decisions for at least the first term but usually the first two terms, irrespective of whether they are Labor or Liberal. Because Labor failed to progress any new projects, or even order additional ships from existing projects, it is critical that the current government step up and break this informal tradition.
This, to me, is far more important than political BS and point scoring, I just want a workable solution to prevent expensively earned infrastructure and experience being thrown away yet again. Sort it out and order some ships, OPVs, new frigates, a second batch of AWDs, anything, before the capability is lost and has to be rebuilt.
As to why they didn't go to Spain, Navantia has a substantial presence in Adelaide already with senior managers regularly visiting and meeting with SA government as well as conducting their other business, to have visited Spain really would have been nothing more than a junket. As to the value of these visits, how do you think SA got the Submarine contract over Sydney and Melbourne, or the AWD contract, Holden and Chrysler factories, etc.?
V, of course people on either side of the political fence have differing views, agree 100% and at times both sides can't see the trees for the forest, but what does that have to do with the points I was making?
One of the points I was making, was about the SA Government press release and in relation to these two paragraphs:
“While I welcome the Commonwealth’s commitment to a continuous in-country naval shipbuilding program, urgent action is needed.
“Progress on the Future Frigate program, to replace the current ANZAC fleet, continues to drag on. Decisions must be made now.
Is that not an attempt by the SA Government to have a go at the Federal Government? To somehow infer that it is the 'current' Federal Government that is dragging the chain on both what the Federal Government is intending to do for Naval shipbuilding in Australia and SA and also the Future Frigates too?
An alternate (non political) statement from the SA Government 'could' have read:
We congratulate the Federal Government on its investigations to see if an evolved AWD hull will be suitable for the Future Frigate project and by bringing block work forward it will save many jobs in SA and around the country too.
We also look forward to the soon to be released DWP and the Naval shipbuilding plan that will accompany the new DWP which will provide many of the answers to questions we have been waiting for.
Anyway, there is my 'alternate' comment on what the Federal Government is doing for SA shipbuilding!
I don't disagree one little bit that the Government needs to get on with it and order ships for the Navy and in the process to help industry too. But seriously what do you have expected the current Government to have done in the relatively short time it has been in Government?
The facts are the previous Rudd/Gillard/Rudd Government sat on its collective hands for six years, did absolutely nothing, and they have left the current Government with the job to get things going again.
The facts are that the current Government did announce last year that money was being poured into investigating the possibility of evolving the AWD hull for 're-use' as the basis for the Future Frigate (sure we can all argue if an evolved AWD hull is the right basis for the Future Frigate, but we can't have our 'cake and eat it too' when it comes to either proceeding quicker to save shipbuilding jobs and reduce the effects of the Valley of Death, or wait for a potentially better solution for the Future Frigate to come along).
The current Government has also stated that an OPV will replace the ACPB's, it also announced the tender for 'up to 21' replacement Pacific Patrol Boats, it has announced that it wants to have a short list for the Collins replacement sooner than later.
And as soon as the new DWP is announced in a few months, then we should all have some clear answers to the direction that Australian Naval shipbuilding is heading and how it will get there.
Seriously what more can the current Government do??
As to the 'value' of visits by various State Governments to win business and jobs for their State, don't disagree one little bit, if for example NSW and SA were both vying for their State to be the location for the 'new' shipbuilding hub for large warships and submarines, then I'd say yes fair enough, but SA has already won that battle, if frigate sized warships and submarines are to build in Australia, then I can't see that they would be build anywhere else but Techport, can you?
So my other point was, what is the point of the SA delegation going on the European trip and visiting the various shipbuilders mentioned, what is the point?
It's the Federal Government that will make the decision on what ship or submarine is built here and regardless of which type, SA will no doubt be the winner.
Cheers,
i agree with the statement though Hobart will be a lengthy process to commission.
