Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator White, who I know has had a lifelong interest and dedication to raising skills and training within our community.

Last week, the Prime Minister announced Australia's optimal pathway to acquire conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines. In addition to strengthening Australia's national security, this announcement will build a future made in Australia, by Australians, with record investments in defence, skills, jobs and infrastructure. As Senator Gallagher has stated, the program will create around 20,000 direct jobs over the next 30 years across industry, the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Public Service. This includes trade workers, operators, technicians, engineers, scientists, submariners and project managers. At its peak, building and sustaining nuclear powered submarines in Australia will create up to 8½ thousand direct jobs in the industrial workforce.

It's a decision which means many, many jobs for workers right around the country and, in particular, in the states of South Australia and Western Australia. On Wednesday, the Commonwealth and South Australian governments signed a cooperation agreement outlining our respective governments' commitment to supporting the construction of Australia's next generation of conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines in Adelaide. As part of the agreement, the Albanese government and South Australia will work towards the construction, establishment and operation of a skills and training academy campus in South Australia. The academy will be a dedicated hub to attract, grow, develop and qualify the shipbuilding workforce to meet current and future demands, and to provide opportunities for continuous development of the existing workforce. The academy will support the entire shipbuilding workforce, providing hands-on trades training and classroom based professional development backed by cutting-edge technology and modern facilities. This will be a whole-of-nation initiative and will incorporate multiple locations to deliver training where it's needed, with the central campus being built in South Australia.