PM, Deputy PM confirm multibillion Henderson AUKUS investment

It is expected that this multibillion-dollar, multi-year investment will support the consolidation of the Henderson naval shipyard facility, uplifting the facilities there to support submarine maintenance and sustainment in support of the Submarine Rotational Force - West (SRF-W).

Prime Minister Albanese celebrated this announcement, saying, “This world class precinct will create more than 10,000 local jobs and strong opportunities for local industry. There is no greater honour than serving our country in our nation’s uniform and my government is dedicated to investing in the defence capabilities our nation requires.”

This initial investment will also underpin the delivery of:

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• The construction of surface vessels for the Australian Defence Force, starting with Army’s landing craft and, pending successful consolidation, the domestic build element of Australia’s future general purpose frigates.
• Facilities to support the sustainment of Australia’s surface combatant vessels.
• Contingency docking capabilities for Australia’s future conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet from the early 2030s.
• Depot-level maintenance, including graving docks.

Progressing these capabilities will be critical for Australia’s delivery of the AUKUS pathway and ensure Australia is ready to receive its first Virginia Class submarine in the early 2030s.

Deputy Prime Minister Marles said, “Henderson will be critical to Australia’s shipbuilding and sustainment industry while supporting continuous naval shipbuilding in Western Australia and Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine pathway.”

This investment is expected to be part of a larger, almost AU$25 billion (US$16.61 billion) investment that will need to be invested at critical naval infrastructure at Henderson and at the nearby HMAS Stirling south of Perth to support Australian, British and American rotational submarine forces and deployed naval forces.

“In less than a year from our announcement to establish the Defence Precinct at Henderson, today we are announcing additional funding to start delivering on key programs for the Australian Defence Force," the Deputy Prime Minister added.

To date, the Commonwealth government has committed approximate AU$127 million (US$84.4 million) dollars to support the consolidation of the naval infrastructure and shipbuilding facilities at Henderson.

This announcement comes following recent revelations reported in The Washington Post that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly reassured Deputy Prime Minister Marles that the AUKUS program and Australia’s pursuit of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines was “safe”.

Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy stressed the importance of this announcement and its impact on Australia’s defence industry, saying, “Western Australia already plays an important role in the delivery of capabilities for the ADF, and the consolidation of the Henderson precinct will be a significant boost for defence industry in the West. It will support around 10,000 highly skilled, well-paid jobs over the next two decades, helping people across Western Australia build great futures for themselves and their families.”

As part of this investment, the government expects that it will support 10,000 jobs across the three AUKUS partner nations and will provide a major uplift to the metropolitan and regional economies of Western Australia.

This story has been updated to reflect the full details per the government’s announcement.

Stephen Kuper

Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.