Premier of South Australia the Hon Peter Malinauskas MP speaks during the AUKUS Nuclear Submarine announcement ’roundtable’ meeting in the city of Adelaide. (Photo Credit: Australian Department of Defence)
The Malinauskas Labor Government will establish an Office for AUKUS to coordinate the state’s preparations for the unprecedented nuclear-powered submarine program.
The initiative will complement a suite of jobs and economy boosting measures in the 2023-34 State Budget.
The $5.4 million investment will establish the Office to help implement the Australian nuclear-powered submarine construction program at Osborne.
Once established the office will be a single point of contact for Commonwealth agencies and ensure there is across government co-ordination to deliver on South Australia’s leading role in the historic AUKUS submarine program.
The office will also be responsible for delivering commitments outlined in the Cooperation Agreement signed by Premier Peter Malinauskas and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in March this year.
As part of that Agreement, the Albanese and Malinauskas Labor Governments agreed to work together to realise the following:
- An exchange of land as soon as possible to facilitate development of the new Submarine Construction Yard and a Skills and Training Academy campus in Osborne, South Australia.
- The construction, establishment and operation of a Skills and Training Academy campus in South Australia, to be developed in consultation with industry and unions.
- An increase in Commonwealth Supported Places to South Australia. Universities over the next four years, focused on STEM disciplines in professional engineering (mechanical, electrical, chemical), computer science, mathematics, chemistry, physics, psychology and management. The Commonwealth will allocate an additional 800 places to South Australia Universities over the next four years, with the first 200 places commencing in 2024.
- Investment in research capability and infrastructure in priority disciplines in South Australia to generate a workforce close to the Submarine Construction Yard at Osborne.
- Progress consideration of options for defence-related science and technology facilities in Adelaide.
- A potential land exchange and appropriate easement and access arrangements for Department of Defence owned and leased land at Cultana.
Ensuring our State is ready to start building the most complex machines on earth will require the establishment of this office to oversee a joint effort between many state government agencies including Defence SA , Premier and Cabinet, Industry, Innovation and Science, Energy and Mining, Education, Infrastructure and Transport, Housing Authority, Trade and Investment and the Attorney General’s Department.
The Office for AUKUS funding is on top of the Government’s $450,000 commitment over three years to establish of a software engineering degree apprenticeship that will enable students to earn while they learn and prepare for defence careers.
The Malinauskas Labor Government is partnering with the University of South Australia (UniSA), defence industry and the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) to fast-track the university degree apprenticeship pilot program for the growing defence sector, ahead of the construction of the AUKUS submarines.
“AUKUS will transform South Australia’s economy for generations. This new office will play a key role in coordinating agencies across government to ensure we deliver a highly skilled workforce and the infrastructure we need to make the AUKUS program a reality”, SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said.
“South Australian industry will receive a major uplift as it takes its place at the forefront of one of Australia’s greatest industrial undertakings. This is a unique opportunity for South Australia, which will deliver jobs and benefit the economy for future generations, while providing industry with a major capability and capacity uplift”, SA Deputy Premier Susan Close said.
“The submarine program will have a range of flow on benefits beyond the defence and construction work – this includes the opportunity to build and enhance our reputation nationally and globally. Developing this sovereign industry will deliver jobs and benefit South Australia’s economy for generations to come”, Stephen Mullighan said.
Originally published by the Office of the Premier of South Australia on 12/06/2023.
