A Project of Concern Summit was held in Canberra today to support the sustainment of Australia's Collins class submarines.
Minister for Finance, Senator Katy Gallagher, and Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, convened the Summit, which was attended by government and industry representatives.
The Albanese Government has committed up to $5 billion over the next decade to extend the life of the Collins class and ensure there is no capability gap until Australia transitions to its future conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines. With Collins class submarines required to operate beyond their original design life, an appropriate sustainment plan is also required to ensure they remain among the most capable, conventionally powered submarines in the world.
Defence and the contractor, ASC Pty Ltd, have continued to work on the sustainment plan since Collins class was listed as a Product of Concern in 2024. This includes undertaking activities to build the submarine sustainment workforce and enhance productivity.
Collins class submarine sustainment has previously been a Product of Concern spanning successive governments, from November 2008 until October 2017.
Since coming to office, the Albanese Government has strengthened and revitalised Defence's Projects and Products of Concern framework. This is helping to fix challenging projects by providing enhanced Ministerial oversight and bringing Defence and industry together in the national interest.
This is the ninth overall summit held by the Government under the Projects of Concern process.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:
"The former Coalition government did not value this process. Labor has delivered much needed stability to the Defence portfolio which is helping to drive cultural change and deliver capabilities to keep Australians safe.
"This is the ninth overall summit held under the Albanese Government in just over three years, compared to the former Coalition government which only managed to hold four in almost a decade in office.
"ASC is committed to working with Defence to improve Collins class submarine sustainment performance and to effectively deliver safe and high-quality sustainment of Collins class submarines."
