New defence precinct at Henderson to deliver continuous naval shipbuilding and nuclear-powered submarine maintenance

The Australian Government will establish a consolidated Commonwealth-owned Defence Precinct at Western Australia’s Henderson shipyard, near Fremantle, to underpin its investment in defence capabilities in the West over the next two decades and support up to 10,000 well-paid, high-skilled local jobs.

The establishment of a consolidated Defence Precinct at Henderson is the critical next step in delivering continuous naval shipbuilding in Western Australia. This builds on the announcement last year of a strategic partnership between Defence and Austal Limited at Henderson. It also represents a major milestone on the AUKUS pathway as Australia develops the capability to safely and securely own, operate and sustain conventionally‑armed, nuclear‑powered submarines.

“The Albanese Government’s commitments represent the most consequential defence investment in Western Australia in nearly four decades, since the commissioning of HMAS Stirling in 1978 and its expanded role as Australia’s Indian Ocean fleet base under the 1987 two-oceans navy policy,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles MP.

“The Defence Precinct at Henderson will optimise Australia’s shipbuilding and sustainment industry while supporting continuous naval shipbuilding in Western Australia and Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine pathway.”

The Defence Precinct will support the build of new Medium and Heavy landing craft for the Australian Army and up to eleven new General Purpose Frigates for the RAN, with requisite large vessel infrastructure to form part of the Precinct.

Defence has also determined that the Defence Precinct at Henderson will be the home of depot-level maintenance and contingency docking for Australia’s future conventionally‑armed, nuclear-powered submarines. These vital maintenance capabilities will be established at Henderson in accordance with domestic processes and regulatory requirements, and consistent with Australia’s international obligations to maintaining the highest standards for nuclear safety, security and safeguards.

“Successful consolidation of the Henderson precinct will secure decades of continuous shipbuilding in Western Australia, providing generational benefits for locals who play a vital role in keeping Australia safe,” according to Pat Conroy, the Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery.

Contingency and depot-level maintenance alone will create around 3,000 jobs in Western Australia. This is in addition to the thousands of jobs that will be supported through continuous naval shipbuilding in the West and the establishment and operation of Submarine Rotational Force-West at HMAS Stirling.

Coupled with the $8 billion the Albanese Government has already committed to expand HMAS Stirling, these investments and capability programs in Western Australia will be worth tens of billions of dollars over the next two decades.

Cooperation Agreement

To deliver this ambitious long-term program, the federal and WA Governments have signed a Cooperation Agreement which provides a foundation for collaboration to deliver the Defence Precinct and related activities. This will include:

• Developing a dedicated joint forum to deliver the skilled workforce required to deliver and sustain critical Defence capabilities.
• Establishing the necessary infrastructure, including common user facilities, to support industry across the Defence Precinct at Henderson.
• Ensuring effective engagement across Federal, State and Local governments and communities.

Defence will make an initial investment of $127 million over three years to progress planning, consultations, preliminary design and feasibility studies as well as enabling works for the Defence Precinct at Henderson. This work will inform future decisions on delivery options and models for the Defence Precinct at Henderson.

A copy of the Federal-WA agreement can be downloaded here: Cooperation agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Western Australia to deliver and sustain Australia’s future Defence capabilities | Defence Ministers