AUKUS: Frequently Asked Questions
The AUKUS agreement represents the single biggest investment in Australia’s defence capability in the nation’s history, and Rockingham and Kwinana will be at the forefront.
Please let me know of any concerns or questions you may have about the AUKUS program and my office will endeavour to respond to you.
You can also read the information in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below the survey.
How many jobs will AUKUS create?
The Albanese Government is creating jobs across Australia in building, servicing and upgrading facilities for AUKUS submarines to keep Australians safe while building a Future Made in Australia. AUKUS will support around 20,000 direct jobs across Australia and even more jobs across the supply chain.
We want every opportunity for Australian businesses and industry to participate in this once-in-a-generation transformational investment. This is one of the greatest industrial endeavours that Australia has ever undertaken with nationwide benefits.
The Albanese Government is also investing up to $8 billion to expand HMAS Stirling, creating around 3,000 direct jobs.
500 direct jobs will be related to the Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West) over 2027-2032.
The “Jobs for Subs” program will allow ASC to recruit and upskill over 200 new entry-level positions required for AUKUS workforce.
More the 100 Australian workers from ASC are also expected to be deployed to Pearl Harbour for training by next year.
What will the Goverment do to train workers and ensure we have a skilled workforce?
The Defence Industry Pathways Program will expand to include pathways into the nuclear-powered submarine program.
We know that growing the workforce will take time, which is why the Royal Australian Navy submariners are already training alongside crews in the UK and the US on their respective submarine platforms.
The Albanese Government is funding new skills and training programs to help Australians get secure and well-paid jobs in the AUKUS submarine industry.
4,001 CSPs have been allocated over 2024 to 2027 across 16 universities nationally for the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Student Pathways Program.
How will the Government manage waste from submarines?
When the Albanese Government announced the AUKUS pathway in March last year, we were clear that as a responsible nuclear steward, Australia would manage nuclear waste from our nuclear-powered submarines. This includes the low-level waste generated by day-to-day submarine operations and maintenance.
After an extensive process, Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Authority (ARPANSA) has now issued a licence for Defence to prepare for a purpose-built facility for the temporary management and storage of low-level waste at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.
The safe and secure management of low-level waste is an important step for AUKUS, and will be integral to the establishment of (SRF-West) at HMAS Stirling from 2027.
What kind of waste will it hold?
Once built, this facility will help manage low-level radioactive material generated from the maintenance work and from the submarines during their routine operations.
This is similar to waste management that occurs in hospitals, science facilities and universities including;
- Waste items such as gloves, personal protective equipment and associated test equipment.
The facility will not handle, store or dispose of any nuclear material related to the nuclear-powered submarine nuclear fuel cycle, including spent nuclear fuel; nor any other high-level radioactive material.
Why only temporary storage?
This Controlled Industrial Facility will manage and temporarily store low-level radioactive material, before it is transported to locations on the Defence estate for longer-term storage.
The Government has said it will make an announcement about the process by which the Government will determine a facility to manage spent nuclear fuel later this year.
Is it safe? How can locals be confident in the safety of this facility?
Australia has significant experience in managing waste of this type and the facility at HMAS Stirling will be purpose built and subject to stringent requirements and conditions under the ARPANS Act.
A licence is only granted by ARPANSA if there is confidence that stringent requirements have been met and there is evidence that these requirements can continue to be met throughout the lifecycle of a facility.
In making this decision, the CEO of ARPANSA considered evidence, and took into account around 165 submissions made during the public consultation phase. This included a visit to HMAS Stirling.
The CEO of ARPANSA was satisfied that the facility is compliant with the ARPANS Act and Regulations, and also with applicable international best practice, for the safe management of radioactive waste
The CEO concluded that the facility can be constructed, operated and decommissioned in a way that provides assurance of the radiological safety of the workers, the public and the environment, including in worst case scenarios.
Where will the facility be built?
Pending further licence approvals, this purpose-built facility will be built on Defence land at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.
It is intended that the facility will be close to existing submarine infrastructure.
Why has this taken so long to announce?
ARPANSA is a regulatory agency, independent of Defence and the Australian Submarine Agency.
This decision was notified publicly by ARPANSA on 17 July 2024
If you have any further questions you would like to raise, please don't hesitate to contact my office.
