Secret documents from the New South Wales government have disclosed that Port Kembla, located 75 kilometres south of Sydney, is the preferred location for Australia's proposed nuclear submarine fleet on the east coast. The documents, prepared by the NSW Cabinet Office and the Premier's Department, caution that the base could become a target for military adversaries, potentially sparking significant public opposition.
Public Resistance Expected
The analysis, tabled in the NSW Parliament by Greens MLC Abigail Boyd, acknowledges that residents are likely to perceive the base as a risk due to the presence of nuclear reactors aboard the submarines and the potential for the base to be a military target. The documents state that in the event of a military conflict, the East Coast Base (ECNB) could be targeted by Australian military adversaries. This perception may lead residents to view the base similarly to a nuclear power station, as a source of environmental disaster risk.
Already, a significant portion of the Port Kembla population has expressed opposition. In September, over 40 organisations signed the Port Kembla Declaration, arguing that the base would endanger their community and should not be sited there.
Strategic Importance and Economic Benefits
The federal government announced in March 2022 its intention to build an east coast nuclear base to accommodate nuclear-powered conventionally armed submarines under the Aukus agreement with the UK and US. While the proposed submarines are initially scheduled to be stationed in South Australia and Western Australia from 2032, the government maintains that an east coast base is vital for strategic interests.
According to the NSW government documents, the Commonwealth has committed to deciding the base's location by the end of 2023, with operational status expected by 2040. A preliminary cost-benefit analysis identified Port Kembla as the best site, estimating an economic benefit of $426 million for the state through improved infrastructure, community services, and high-tech job growth.
Potential Negative Impacts
However, the documents concede that some residents may need to relocate, local businesses could suffer, and rail and road travel might worsen. The base is likely to have a negative impact on local amenity, particularly for those living closest. The documents note that the probability of a nuclear accident is reduced because submarines are only occasionally harboured at the base, but the risk of being a military target is higher.
The analysis also compares the risk perception of a nuclear submarine base to a nuclear power plant, noting that while submarine reactors are smaller, they use highly enriched uranium similar to that in nuclear warheads, capable of powering the submarine for over 30 years.
Scale and Cost
The east coast nuclear base is expected to be at least twice the size of the Western Sydney International Airport project. The Department of Defence estimates that over $10 billion will be needed for facility and infrastructure requirements to transition from Collins-class submarines to the new nuclear-powered fleet, including the new base.
Federal Greens Senator David Shoebridge, spokesperson on defence and foreign affairs, criticised the plans, stating that the documents reveal the government knows the base will be damaging and dangerous for the community. He argued that the Labor government is putting a target on the largest population conurbation in Australia, encompassing about 7 million people between Newcastle and the Illawarra, and that such bases do not enhance safety but rather make countries targets, as seen with US bases in Iran.
The Guardian has sought comments from the NSW Premier's office and the federal Department of Defence.
