THE Maritime Union of Australia has denounced the Australian government’s plans to consider Port Kembla the location for a nuclear submarine base.
It follows the prime minister’s announcement yesterday that the government intends to establish a new submarine base on the east coast of Australia under a $10-billion plan.
Brisbane, Newcastle and Port Kembla were identified as suitable sites due to their proximity to industrial infrastructure, maritime training areas, deep water and weapons storage facilities.
“This new 20-year investment is vital for our strategic capabilities, but it will also provide long-term economic opportunities at both our submarine bases on the east coast and on the west coast,” defence minister Peter Dutton said in a statement.
However, the MUA’s southern NSW branch has condemned the potential development of nuclear-powered defence vessels in the Illawarra, and in any other location along the Australian coast.
MUA Southern NSW branch secretary Mick Cross said the establishment of a submarine base would derail recent progress at Port Kembla, particularly in relation to its plans for renewable power generation and its emergence as a critical sea transport hub.
Mr Cross told DCN there is already a significant increase in traffic and throughput expected for the port over the next decade, and the project would restrict the port’s future.
“If a nuclear submarine base were to be built here, there would be restrictions; there would be priority given to government, navy, or construction vessels around the base; and we don’t want to see that get in the way of the things happening at the moment which are absolutely in the interest of the community,” he said.
Mr Cross suggested the development would become a “dangerous precedent” for nuclear proliferation in Australia.
“As everybody knows, nuclear waste has to go somewhere. We don’t want to become the dumping ground for military nuclear waste,” he said.
“There are things here that are very worrying, notwithstanding anything to do with any nuclear weaponry anywhere in this country.”
Mr Cross said the MUA’s opposition to the development of nuclear-powered defence vessels applies to the rest of the east coast, and indeed the whole of Australia.
“We don’t want to see any nuclear proliferation anywhere in this country or any country,” he said.
“This is very ill-thought-out, and the signing of the AUKUS agreement is not the direction we believe this country should be going.”
In a statement, he argued the government’s decision is a distraction from its “record of failure and hypocrisy”.
“The manipulation of community anxiety about global war at a time when the people of Ukraine are under attack is cynical, dishonest, and hypocritical.”
He said there are other pressing and immediate needs requiring government expenditure and action before nuclear militarisation.
“This government has so far failed to act on climate change, disaster relief, protection for women from workplace abuse, and the plight of elderly people living in aged care, to name just a few,” Mr Cross said.
“None of these issues – some at crisis point – will be resolved by the Prime Minister’s weapons of mass distraction.”
