Last week, the Australian government announced that Lendlease has been selected as the managing contractor for the construction of the Osborne South Shipyard and said that the project is anticipated to create 600 jobs at its peak.
Following a competitive tender process, Lendlease, in partnership with Australian Naval Infrastructure, will be responsible for undertaking this nationally significant work. According to the Department of Defence media release, Lendlease has a proven track-record with large, high-profile construction projects and has recently delivered major projects in South Australia, including the Adelaide Oval and Convention Centre redevelopments.
Mobilisation works will commence in October 2017, with the completion of the new shipbuilding infrastructure ready to support the commencement of Future Frigate construction at the site in 2020. The construction of the shipyard is a key enabler of the Government’s continuous naval shipbuilding program.
Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said that South Australians were now seeing the tangible benefits of the Turnbull Government’s historic $90 billion naval shipbuilding program.
“For the first time in over a decade we are seeing jobs created at Osborne, with up to 600 construction related jobs to be created on the Osborne South Shipyard project,” Pyne said.
“The valley of death is over and we are now seeing a upturn of employment in naval shipbuilding in our state that will only continue to increase as these new projects gain momentum.”
Minister for Finance Senator Mathias Cormann said that the Government’s decisions to establish Australian Naval Infrastructure and purchase land and facilities from the South Australian Government have enabled work to progress rapidly.
“Today’s announcement is the latest step in the Government’s plan to ensure that we develop world-leading shipbuilding facilities in South Australia that will enable our historic investments in naval shipbuilding to commence on schedule.
“Through Australian Naval Infrastructure the Government is investing more than $500 million in naval infrastructure at Osborne that will support a sustainable, long-term naval shipbuilding industry in Australia.”
