Australians do not benefit from a war with China
12 May 2021, 16:52 GMT+10
Recent rhetoric on war is more about supporting the highly lucrative defence industry as it is about countering the rise of China, writes Dr Rashad Seedeen.
The COALITION GOVERNMENT is increasingly acting like its loud-mouthed, redneck cousin in the U.S.; full of bluster with little follow-through.
It all began when Secretary of Home Affairs, Mike Pezzullo, informed his staff in an ANZAC Day speech that once again the drums of war were beating. Newly minted Defence Minister but always thin-skinned, Peter Dutton, affirmed such sentiment, openly musing that the prospect of war with China over Taiwan should not be discounted .
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Australia and Naval Group agree on Future Submarine progress funding and local industry content
04 March 2021
by Julian Kerr
Tense negotiations between Canberra and French shipbuilder Naval Group over future costs and the percentage of local industry content in Australia’s AUD90 billion (USD70 billion) Future Submarine Program have concluded with agreements on both issues,
Janes has learnt.
According to informed sources, the overarching Strategic Partnering Agreement underpinning the project will now be amended to include a commitment by Naval Group to spend a minimum of 60% of the contract value in Australia over the life of the programme.
This will formalise an earlier undertaking by French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly that has subsequently been the subject of lengthy negotiations and Australian frustration.
Shot across the bows on submarine contract
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Top Defence officials are examining the possibility of replacing the ageing Collins class submarine with an updated version of the original boat and cutting adrift the current contract with the French amid mounting frustration over cost blowouts and missed deadlines.
The Australian Financial Review understands Prime Minister Scott Morrison is increasingly exasperated over the troubled $80 billion project, with tensions rising between the Defence Department and the French designer Naval Group.
A Collins Class submarine at sea.Â
Defence industry sources said the government was keen to see the local subsidiary, Naval Group Australia, operate more independently of French headquarters control, including reporting its own profit and loss.