SA Unions are calling on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to keep his promise of submarine jobs for South Australia after a senior Defence official today revealed the AUKUS $100 billion-plus deal is ‘unlikely to have a mandated level of local industry content’.
SA Unions Secretary Dale Beasley said that, if true, South Australia was set to miss out on billions in investment and thousands of jobs.
“Scott Morrison promised South Australia that it would receive billions in investment and thousands of jobs from the AUKUS submarine contract, making up for the significant losses caused by his tearing up of the French Naval Group contract, under which many South Australians were already employed.
“Now, we find out that the new $100 billion AUKUS subs deal is unlikely to have any local content mandate and may deliver absolutely nothing to the South Australian economy and workers.
“First Scott Morrison betrayed the French, now he’s betraying South Australians, by ripping away promised jobs and investment.
Mr Beasley said that, with the worst employment outcomes in Australia, South Australia could not afford to lose these vital jobs and investment.
“Over 1,100 South Australians lost their jobs when Scott Morrison tore up the Naval Group contract. South Australia’s economy desperately needs the jobs and investment the $100 billion AUKUS subs deal was promised to deliver.
“It’s now time for Steven Marshall to stand up for the people of South Australia.
“We call on Steven Marshall to pick up the phone to Scott Morrison and demand that the AUKUS subs deal mandate local content for South Australia, so that billions of taxpayers’ dollars don’t completely go offshore without benefiting the South Australian economy and South Australian workers.”
