WA calls on PM to resolve Collins full-cycle docking

WA calls on PM to resolve Collins full-cycle docking

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has confirmed he will step up his lobbying campaign to the federal government, urging the Prime Minister to resolve full-cycle docking for the Collins Class submarines.

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has confirmed he will step up his lobbying campaign to the federal government, urging the Prime Minister to resolve full-cycle docking for the Collins Class submarines.

Premier Mark McGowan will write to Prime Minister Scott Morrison to ask him to seek a resolution to the long-delayed full-cycle docking (FCD) decision, after it emerged the issue may be put off until after the next federal election.

Premier McGowan will call on the federal government to provide certainty and make a decision in the national interest.

He said, “I will write to the Prime Minister to outline Western Australia's serious concerns with the repeated delays on the FCD decision and ask for his assistance in resolving the matter.” 

The federal government has now missed its own deadline by almost a year, with the federal Defence Minister this week refusing to commit to an outcome this side of the federal election – raising the possibility a resolution may not be reached until late 2022.

“It is unacceptable that Western Australia and South Australia are now facing the real possibility of almost two more years of uncertainty on top of the delays we have already experienced,” Premier McGowan said.

With about six years' lead time needed to move the work from its current South Australian base to Western Australia, there is now real concern the inaction will result in the project – set to begin in 2026 staying in South Australia by default.

Recent Federal Senate estimates hearings have delivered more mixed messages from the federal government on the project's future with the Defence Minister and fellow WA senator Mathias Cormann providing conflicting advice on the reasons for the delay.

Premier McGowan added, “Western Australia has always said the decision must be made in the national interest. It would be deeply concerning to think the timing of a Federal election would have any influence on when government and industry are notified of the future of this critical project.”

The call for a decision comes as the McGowan government this week reached a significant milestone in progressing its $100 million-plus investment to support FCD and other Defence projects at the state's marine industry hub at the Australian Marine Complex (AMC).

WA Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia added, “We have worked hard over the last three-and-a-half years to demonstrate Western Australia's superior capacity to undertake this work, and there is no doubt WA is the clear choice for locating FCD.”

The state government is now calling for expressions of interest from marine contractors to begin work on the design and construction of a major wharf upgrade  the first of four infrastructure projects valued at $87.6 million and set to create up to 600 jobs.

The wharf extension will create additional berth capacity and allow the accommodation of all Royal Australian Navy vessels.

“Western Australia has demonstrated its strong commitment to carrying out this project in the national interest with over $100 million in infrastructure and training investment by the state government on top of our significant technical work to demonstrate our superior capacity to do the work,” Minister Papalia added.  

The project at the key industrial hub will see the existing AMC Berth 1 lengthened by about 140 metres, together with the extension and upgrade of existing services on the wharf.

It will also see the design of a new 200-metre Finger Wharf to create Berths 7 and 8, to increase future capability to service Collins Class and Attack Class submarines, and support larger naval vessels.

In addition to the wharf upgrades, the $87.6 million investment includes a new vessel transfer path, three road intersection upgrades and a new shipbuilding hall.

Minister McGowan said, “Western Australia has put its money where its mouth is, investing millions of state money for infrastructure, workforce training and planning to secure this work, estimated to be worth $8.4 billion to the state's economy. It is high time the federal government gave our industry and the Defence Forces some certainty and a real time frame to work towards.” 

These major infrastructure upgrades are in addition to the state government's recent $18.6 million investment in defence industry training, to help build the workforce required to support FCD and other Defence projects.

This significant infrastructure and training investment follows the McGowan government's work over the last three-and-a-half years to enhance WA's defence industry and elevate the state's case for securing FCD and other high-value defence projects.

This has included the establishment of Defence West, independent business cases demonstrating WA's superior case to secure FCD over South Australia, and the development of the Strategic Infrastructure and Land Use Plan to develop the AMC.

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Comments (16)

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  • avatar
    Doesn't WA want to succeed from Australia?
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  • avatar
    Last time I checked “Full Cycle Docking” is a refurbishment to make it possible for the Collins to fulfil its capability to the end of its life. This won’t happen, untill decisions of lethality, new weapons and attack updates to make the Collins a viable platform up to 2035. Obviously the cerebral constipation has set in “again” this being the case, the Collins is dead in the water along with any sub that is under Defence direction. Don’t both even talking about where & what gets done, it’s not going to happen, the conversation died 6 months ago. We might get luck and someone has made a decision to build 6 new subs like the A26 ER to tide us over till the Attack class ever sees the light of day. Maybe if we as nicely the CCP can build it for us after they over run us.
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  • avatar
    Looking between the lines. I suspect that both the Hunter and Attack programs are running late. This means delay to moving anything out of SA to WA so that the skills can be kept in SA when needed for the Hunter and Attack build. I predict that if the Hunter and Attack get so delayed then we will see more work that was already promised to WA staying in SA. eg more OPV.
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  • avatar
    While I do think that Full Cycle Docking should take place in WA, and for the Collins Class just might, I do not believe that this will extend to the Attack class. I believe Adelaide will continue to be chosen as the site for shipbuilding and ship repair/maintenance as it sits sort of between the two major fleet bases, meaning a damaged ship from either base can arrive for repair without having to sail half the continent. And with the increase in submarines in the next class it is not a far fetch to predict 3 to 4 of them to be based in Fleet Base East, creating a demand for the FCD and construction to take place in Adelaide. Even ignoring the possibility of future subs being based at Fleet Base East, I just don't see the Government spreading the submarine construction and submarine repair/FCD across two sites let alone states. It is much much cheaper to just consolidate everything into one bigger (maybe even more capable) facility. However I do believe this could be putting all our eggs in one basket, for example if the Chinese bomb the Adelaide facilities we would be left with ships needing repair but with no repair facilities. Now it should be stated that by the time the Chinese bomb Adelaide with any virtuosity we would be stuffed anyway.
    P.S. I really don't care where the new subs are constructed or complete FCD, I'm in Queensland and don't have a horse in this race, however I do wish that their construction when it comes is drastically sped up.

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  • avatar
    While I do think that Full Cycle Docking should take place in WA, and for the Collins Class just might, I do not believe that this will extend to the Attack class. I believe Adelaide will continue to be chosen as the site for shipbuilding and ship repair/maintenance as it sits sort of between the two major fleet bases, meaning a damaged ship from either base can arrive for repair without having to sail half the continent. And with the increase in submarines in the next class it is not a far fetch to predict 3 to 4 of them to be based in Fleet Base East, creating a demand for the FCD and construction to take place in Adelaide. Even ignoring the possibility of future subs being based at Fleet Base East, I just don't see the Government spreading the submarine construction and submarine repair/FCD across two sites let alone states. It is much much cheaper to just consolidate everything into one bigger (maybe even more capable) facility. However I do believe this could be putting all our eggs in one basket, for example if the Chinese bomb the Adelaide facilities we would be left with ships needing repair but with no repair facilities. Now it should be stated that by the time the Chinese bomb Adelaide with any virtuosity we would be stuffed anyway.
    P.S. I really don't care where the new subs are constructed or complete FCD, I'm in Queensland and don't have a horse in this race, however I do wish that their construction when it comes is drastically sped up.

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  • avatar
    While I do think that Full Cycle Docking should take place in WA, and for the Collins Class just might, I do not believe that this will extend to the Attack class. I believe Adelaide will continue to be chosen as the site for shipbuilding and ship repair/maintenance as it sits sort of between the two major fleet bases, meaning a damaged ship from either base can arrive for repair without having to sail half the continent. And with the increase in submarines in the next class it is not a far fetch to predict 3 to 4 of them to be based in Fleet Base East, creating a demand for the FCD and construction to take place in Adelaide. Even ignoring the possibility of future subs being based at Fleet Base East, I just don't see the Government spreading the submarine construction and submarine repair/FCD across two sites let alone states. It is much much cheaper to just consolidate everything into one bigger (maybe even more capable) facility. However I do believe this could be putting all our eggs in one basket, for example if the Chinese bomb the Adelaide facilities we would be left with ships needing repair but with no repair facilities. Now it should be stated that by the time the Chinese bomb Adelaide with any virtuosity we would be stuffed anyway.
    P.S. I really don't care where the new subs are constructed or complete FCD, I'm in Queensland and don't have a horse in this race, however I do wish that their construction when it comes is drastically sped up.
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  • avatar
    This decision is becoming a joke. With the Attack class delivery so far in the future to be almost irrelevant, the critical task now for the Australian submarine squadron is Collins LOTE which will be carried out as part of future full cycle dockings.
    LOTE, if it goes ahead as mooted(batteries, diesels, motor on top a the combat system update and general renewal) will greatly increase the scope of a normal full cycle docking. Hawking the task around the country as part of marginal seat politics is grossly irresponsible.
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  • avatar
    Funny how McGowan wants the Federal government to act in the 'national interest' yet thumbs its nose at the national interest re its border.
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    • avatar
      lol nah he finally agreed to open our WA borders... now we went from the Gulag state of WA to letting everyone in including melbourne... we can't really complain we hardly were hit by the Virus here in WA and our states the only state that was still in the black and profiting this year.... as per usual WA keeping the rest of Australia afloat again.....
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  • avatar
    Actually there is nothing to resolve...the situation we have now works perfectly well.
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    Peter from Adelaide Tuesday, 03 November 2020
    Minister Papalia claims WA has superior capacity to do the work. Infrastructure is one thing but means little if you don't have the skilled work force to conduct an FCD.
    The depth and complexity of work carried out during an FCD is currently beyond the capability of the work force in WA - they are some way along the right path with MCD's but an FCD is huge step up from that.
    Moving FCD to WA without the work force to support it is a huge risk to Collins class capability and availability.
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    • avatar
      Interesting concept but flawed. SA built 3 AWD's for the price of 4 and is now struggling with the build of 2 small OPV's. Hunter and Attack havent even started yet. Maybe you haven't read the latest workforce modelling. SA doesn't have the skills now let alone when the 2 new platforms start. WA does have the workforce. Check your facts.
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      • avatar
        The AWD/OPV and Submarine workforce in Adelaide are two completely different entities. You are the one with your facts wrong.
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    • avatar
      peter from adelaide is right the rest of the lifecycle of Collins should be finished in SA and the 12 new Attack class Submarines should be built here in WA.. afterall the homeport for our submarines is here in WA and IT WOULD ONLY MAKE SENSE TO HAVE FACILITIES TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN THEM CLOSE TO THEIR HOMEPORT.... lol at skilled workforce numbers, considering the boats will not be built for another 9 to 30 years it is safe to say alot of that workforce is still in school... SA has hunter class to build and by the time they finish them then the new Hmas Choules and Pacific Support Vessel will need building along with the AWD's upkeep or their replacements... Arafura OPV's should of gone East Aus somewhere closer to where they will be operating from in the Indo Pacific... and if they really wanted to get it right then they should put 6 of the 12 new submarines in east Aus along with having facilities that can maintain them.. well east Aus should of got the Hunter class contract too... SA has plenty of future work especially if we start mining The Great Australia Bite... last i heard SA was planning to go full scale renewable power, so you won't even have a reliable power grid.. that's smart lets select something unpredictable like the weather to rely on to supply us power...????? well there still a few years am sure our Gov will change a few times before the 1st boat is even built who knows what will happen and what will be changed in 9 years...
      wjb
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    • avatar
      Peter from Adelaide just so you know mate the sailors who operate the equipment go to ASC WA at Henderson alongside the people here who work on the Boats.. it does not get any more better than "SKILLED WORKERS" than that... it is also good for trainee submariners to go and see the equipment they operate when it is on the boats being maintained... 9 years from now half the worforce SA have will be retired or prob in different jobs.. will will always have the crews of these submarines here along with STSC and the trainee's
      wjb
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      • avatar
        FCD is a huge step up from anything done at Henderson although the WA workforce are doing a great job with in service support and dockings up to MCD level.
        FCD requires cutting the hull to extract major propulsion and diesel generator components, a full suite of upgrades and repairs on and off the boat and then the re-installation of components and re-integration of the hull. Then follows a lengthy and rigorous commissioning period - at this time WA does not have the skills or capacity to do this - it's not something you can resource from the local labour hire company!
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