Reader comments - The right kind of ship building

Bushranger 71

What is the justification for these Air Warfare Destroyers? Considering the monstrous overruns on project cost, would it not be smart to cancel at least one of the other 2?

Continuing to throw money at a flawed project is just subsidizing largely foreign-parented arms manufacturers to a much greater extent than the taxpayer-funded handouts to automobile manufacturers over time.

If we want to maintain industrial shipbuilding in Australia, then the effort should be directed toward small outfits like Austal (WA), Forgacs (NSW) and resurrecting smaller shipbuilding at Walkers (QLD).

In 1980 Walkers Limited was sold to Evans Deakin Industries. It was included in the purchase of Evans Deakin by Downer Group in March 2001 and today the Maryborough factory continues to operate as part of Downer Rail.

In 1884, the firm began work on 5 hopper barges for the Queensland
Department of Harbours & Rivers. During constru ction the decision
was taken to convert them to also serve as Auxiliary Gunboats, which made them the largest warships built in Australia before federation.

During World War II, Walkers constructed two River class frigates, a Bay class frigate and seven Bathurst class corvettes, in addition to other smaller vessels. Post war naval contracts included seven Attack class patrol boats in the late 1960s and eight Balikpapan class landing craft heavy in the early 1970s. After the completion of the latter, Walker's Maryborough shipyard closed in 1974.

The sooner the Australian DoD disconnects from the likes of BAE Systems and Australian Submarine Corporation, the better would be the quality of product and likely value for taxpayer money from the smaller shipbuilders.

.