Warren Entsch (Leichhardt, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to applaud the Defence Force's recent announcement of a $300 million upgrade to the naval base at HMAS Cairns and also its announcement that it will be home-basing four of its new offshore patrol vessels in Cairns. The 2016 defence white paper had originally committed $100 million of the OPV wharf and infrastructure upgrade by 2020, so this announcement includes an extra $200 million to complete the works needed to accommodate these larger vessels.

This announcement also comes on top of $22 million which has already been planned for the mid-term refresh in 2019-20 and another $313 million for the redevelopment of HMAS Cairns post 2025-26. This takes the overall commitment spend on HMAS Cairns to $635 million over the next decade and a half, which is $215 million more than the $420 million first committed in the white paper. This announcement reinforces the Defence Force's commitment to Far North Queensland as a major ship maintenance and sustainment hub for Cairns.

Local businesses will have the opportunity to provide support for the new patrol vessels. Extra employment opportunities and jobs for the future will be created in Leichhardt, not just through the work created at HMAS Cairns but also through the new service that will be required by many families that will move to Cairns as a result. I congratulate the Defence Force and welcome their greater presence in Cairns, a beautiful city. (Time expired)

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