Attacking naval quest Local shipbuilders eye share of fleet work

THE Far North’s three chief shipbuilding firms will be swinging anchors to secure more than empty promises from the Federal Government next week.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison donned the ceremonial hard hat earlier this week in Perth and helped cut the first piece of steel for a $3.6 billion fleet of new offshore patrol vessels — the maritime equivalent of a politician turning the sod on a new road.

In the meantime, Cairns is still groping in the darkness for word on how the government will come good on its promise to make the city a major dry and wet dock sustainment hub for the new ships.

Gaining tangible guarantees will be one of the chief focuses of the Cairns TNQ Convoy to Canberra on October 16 and 17.

Retired Lt Gen John Grey will lead the convoy’s defence and marine sector delegation, which includes BSE Cairns Slipways owner Justin Parer, Norship CEO Olav Groot, Ports North commercial general manager Michael Colleton and Tropical Reef Shipyard general manager Robert Downing.

Advance Cairns chairman Trent Twomey said the city could not wait any longer.

“It’s great that the government has their continuous shipbuilding strategy involving the South Australian and Western Australian economies,” he said.

“But they’re still very light on the details about their continuous ship sustainment strategy involving Cairns and Northern Australia.

“We’ve had the headline statement about the government being committed to a ship sustainment strategy involving Northern Australia. But we need something more specific. We need to know about the awarding of the OPV dry and wet dock maintenance for the Port of Cairns.”

The group will call for Cairns to be declared a strategic port and for Defence to bring forward the second stage of its $300 million pledge to upgrade HMAS Cairns to allow for a $420 million spend in the decade to 2026.

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