The Australian federal government announced it is acquiring additional land property to increase the size of the ship and submarine building facility at Osborne, Adelaide.
The land is being acquired from the South Australian government for $230 million.
Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said the facility was an important part of getting the infrastructure up and ready to cut steel on the Offshore Patrol Vessels next year.
“The Turnbull Government is solely committed to delivering its $89 billion naval shipbuilding program on time and on budget in order to deliver the jobs and economic growth to South Australia as soon as possible,” Minister Pyne said.
“The purchase of the common user facility and associated parcels of land at Osborne is an important step in delivering on our commitments to naval shipbuilding.”
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said the deal was an important part of setting the organisational foundation for the program.
“The acquisition of land and facilities at Osborne marks the successful completion of the first stage of the structural separation of the ASC,” Minister Cormann said.
“This is a critical step in the Coalition Government delivering on its commitment to an historic, $89 billion continuous naval shipbuilding program in Australia,” he said.