Australian Maritime College should play lead role in submarine training contracts

Christopher Pyne has failed to recognise the role that the Australian Maritime College (AMC) has played for decades in Australian and international maritime training and research in announcing the establishment of a new Maritime Technical College in South Australia.

Whilst he belatedly recognised the government had failed to make sure Australia has the skills to build ships we need for our country’s security, he has, in this announcement, ignored the 30 year experience of the AMC, its pre-eminent reputation as Australia’s maritime training and research institution, and most importantly, its acceptance by the Industry as the leader in maritime training.

Minister Pyne has announced that the College will identify, train or retrain Australian workers necessary for delivery of Australia’s new submarines.

Whilst it is clear that the training organisation will need to be based in South Australia, the AMC is well placed to lead the delivery of training of the necessary workforce given its particular expertise.

I urge Minister Pyne to ensure that the AMC plays a lead role in the design and delivery of these courses in South Australia.

It is inappropriate to relegate Australia’s leading maritime training and research institution to one of many training organisations who might be delivering training in conjunction with this new training college.

It is also disingenuous to suggest that because of the scale of the workforce challenge, that any one existing organisation, in particular the AMC, would be unable to co-ordinate the delivery of training across the range of skills identified as necessary to deliver the submarine project.

If this truly were the case this would emphasise the Government’s failure in addressing the workforce deficiencies in the first place.

ROSS HART MP FEDERAL MEMBER FOR BASS