CRITICAL CALL TO FIRE UP DEFENCE
China’s Pacific power play amps up campaign for naval boost
CHINA’S bold pursuit of influence in the South Pacific has left politicians with no choice but to acknowledge a $300m-$400m home truth.
A campaign to build a new marine maintenance facility capable of lifting massive Australian and US naval ships for repairs has been hammering away for years.
The Solomon Islands’ controversial new security pact with the communist superpower means there is nowhere left to hide.
Pacific defence operations are about to be supercharged – and it is a race between Labor and the LNP to splash the cash needed to create jobs and protect our borders.
A CHINESE military flex has triggered a defence domino effect that has rocketed a $300m-plus Cairns project to critical status.
The Solomon Islands’ controversial new security pact with China has politicians on both side of the electoral divide chasing their tails for a suitable response.
Labor defence spokesman Brendan O’Connor met with Advance Cairns representatives on Friday and got the low-down on the advocacy group’s top priority.
Calls for a $300m-$400m common-user facility to allow shipyards to hoist and carry out repairs on huge navy and Border Patrol ships now have an extra sting in their tail.
“Investing in defence local industry in places like Cairns, having more investment in defence capability here, would
actually allow for Cairns to be better off economically,” Mr O’Connor said.
“More broadly, I think if we are increasing our defence capability, that’s actually acting as a deterrent from any potential conflict, and I do believe that’s what we need to do.”
Neither Labor nor the LNP has committed funds to the project – but Advance Cairns chairman Nick Trompf left the meeting certain Mr O’Connor had heard the message loud and clear.
He said the Solomon Islands decision meant Cairns, by virtue of proximity, would have a significant role as a maintenance hub for Australian and US naval vessels.
The city currently has one shipyard that can lift a 3500tonne vessel.
The new common-user facility – which also requires state government investment – would allow 120m-long ships with 5000-tonne capacity to be lifted.
“The common-user facility has a colourful history, but now all three shipyards recognise the need for it – and the state government’s business case highlights the need for it,” Mr Trompf said.
Significant federal funding has gone into the marine precinct in recent years, including the recent awarding of $155m to upgrade wharves and refresh HMAS Cairns, a $70m regional maintenance centre contract to NORSTA Maritime, TAFE Queensland winning a $36m Pacific Patrol Vessel training deal, and the city’s three slipways scoring $8m apiece for upgrades.
However, this project dwarfs the lot of them.
The navy’s decision to make Cairns the first of four regional maintenance centres – beating Darwin, Henderson (WA) and NSW – is a sign of the city’s strategic importance.
Mr Trompf said he was confident Mr O’Connor understood the importance of the project and would take it into serious consideration.
“The focus for many years has been tilted towards the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
“Events this week have highlighted very clearly the need for greater focus on the South Pacific.”