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Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price has taken on yet further Ministerial responsibilities, Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed today.
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Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price has been further appointed the role of Minister for Science and Technology, the Prime Minister confirmed in a press conference early this afternoon.
MIN Price will retain her role as Minister for Defence Industry.
The unified role has come as Australia begins navigating the construction of the nation’s first fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
The commonwealth established a taskforce, with support from the United Kingdom and United States, to research the development of a nuclear-powered submarine capability in Australia.
Key updates on the program:
- Australia is expected to become the only non-nuclear nation to possess nuclear submarine capabilities;
- Australia, UK and US expected to undertake knowledge sharing to enable the Royal Australian Navy to attain a nuclear powered fleet, the first time such knowledge sharing has taken place in over six decades;
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed that the submarines will be built in Adelaide;
- Workers ensured that their skills are still needed, and that submarine construction and sustainment remain critical priorities for the government;
- Leaders have announced the creation of new “trilateral security dialogue” with Australia, UK and US; and
- Naval Group expressed their disappointment with the decision, defending the capabilities of the Attack Class Submarine.
[Related: Defence Industry Minister rejoins cabinet]
