Call for defence boost
Council appeals for funds
CAIRNS Regional Council has compiled a top level inventory of what it thinks the city will need as its strategic importance grows amid tensions in the Pacific.
This means Cairns needs to be prepared for an expected “surge” in visits of larger and more powerful ships from RAN and our allied partners.
Cairns Regional Council has called for a boost to defence investment for HMAS Cairns to not only grow the economy in the Far North but to also support Australia’s strategic interests in Asia and the Pacific.
Expansion of HMAS Cairns, the establishment of an Office of the Pacific, and a commitment to grow the navy’s maintenance program in Cairns are key recommendations of council’s submission to the Defence Strategic Review.
Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said Cairns was ready and willing to support the future needs of Australia’s defence strategy.
“The submission outlines that the development and expansion of maritime, land and aviation defence capabilities in the north – and Cairns in particular – will not only support the future growth and diversity of our economy, but will also bring increased security to the nation,” Cr Manning said.
“In recent times, we have seen increased posturing and manoeuvring by major powers, and with the possibility of foreign military bases in the IndoPacific, the importance of our region for Australia’s national security cannot be overstated.”
The need to substantially expand HMAS Cairns to accommodate the expected “surge” in support required for larger, more frequent Royal Australian Navy and allied ships patrolling the Indo-Pacific region was identified in council’s submission, as was the need to establish an Office of the Pacific in Cairns to drive the implementation of Australia’s Pacific Engagement strategy.
The submission also called for a commitment to developing long-term strategic, commercial arrangements, to incentivise growth of the Cairns marine and aviation precincts, both critical supply chain partners for the navy’s Regional Maintenance Centre North East.
The federal government commissioned the Defence Strategic Review to identify where future defence investment should be prioritised to meet the nation’s security challenges through to 2033 and beyond.
Council’s submission to the review prosecutes the case for further defence investment in the region, citing the city’s strategically important location.
“This submission makes key recommendations for investment in areas that will expand the north’s capability and bolster Australia’s national security, which will provide an economic boost to the region.”