Quite underwhelming is the (current) Australian Government's not very original naming of the Australian Future Submarine as the "Attack class".
This will cause future confusion as the world's most common category of submarines (conventional or nuclear) are attack submarines. Whenever attack submarine is mentioned it may be necessary to distinguish between Australia's 12 future Attack submarines and the world's roughly 300 attack submarines. For example today's CNN Headline "3 US Navy attack submarines..."
Perhaps this most mundane name may have been chosen because the (current) Australian Coalition Government may have had to agree the name with the replacement Australian Labor Party (very likely coming to power in May 2019). "Attack" being a very low common denominator.
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Here is the December 13, 2018 Media Release of the (current) Defence Minister naming Attack. Significantly, he also adds, in a low key way, something more important:
COMMENT
The ability of the current Defence Minister to sign the SPA before the May 11 or 18, 2019 Elections may be curtailed because the Coalition Government has a minority in both Houses of Parliament. That is Australia's Federal Parliament is double "Hung". (Current) Defence Minister Pyne is unusually reliant on consensus from the Labor Party Opposition concerning the terms of the revised SPA.
Details of Coalition Government's minority weakness are that it has, in the:
- Senate (see right sidebar ) only a minority, 31 of 76 seats, and
- House of Representatives (see right sidebar ) only a minority, 73 of 150 seats.
This means the current Government may be forced out of office if the Opposition Labor Party and Crossbenchers decide to block the Budget "Supply" Bills in April 2019 .
Pete
This will cause future confusion as the world's most common category of submarines (conventional or nuclear) are attack submarines. Whenever attack submarine is mentioned it may be necessary to distinguish between Australia's 12 future Attack submarines and the world's roughly 300 attack submarines. For example today's CNN Headline "3 US Navy attack submarines..."
Perhaps this most mundane name may have been chosen because the (current) Australian Coalition Government may have had to agree the name with the replacement Australian Labor Party (very likely coming to power in May 2019). "Attack" being a very low common denominator.
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Here is the December 13, 2018 Media Release of the (current) Defence Minister naming Attack. Significantly, he also adds, in a low key way, something more important:
“I can also announce the
negotiations between the Commonwealth and Naval Group on all key provisions of
the Strategic Partnering Agreement (SPA) have been completed,” [then why not sign NOW?] Minister Pyne
said.
“I congratulate everyone
involved in achieving this significant milestone.”
The SPA will be signed in
early 2019 and will govern the delivery of the Attack class over the decades to
come...."
The ability of the current Defence Minister to sign the SPA before the May 11 or 18, 2019 Elections may be curtailed because the Coalition Government has a minority in both Houses of Parliament. That is Australia's Federal Parliament is double "Hung". (Current) Defence Minister Pyne is unusually reliant on consensus from the Labor Party Opposition concerning the terms of the revised SPA.
Details of Coalition Government's minority weakness are that it has, in the:
- Senate (see right sidebar ) only a minority, 31 of 76 seats, and
- House of Representatives (see right sidebar ) only a minority, 73 of 150 seats.
This means the current Government may be forced out of office if the Opposition Labor Party and Crossbenchers decide to block the Budget "Supply" Bills in April 2019 .
Pete
I do notice Pyne says all key components have been agreed to. There is the possability that there are still a few non key bits to sort out (all the bits that support the key bits that you cannot do until the key arrangements are known). Those detailed fiddly bits that the upper echelons don't really want to know about. A bit like buying a house, you can agree & shake hands on a price in 5 minutes, but it still takes 6 weeks for the legals & the like & still occassionaly falls over due to contract issues or other paperwork, mistakes made years ago that suddenly come to light, restictions or obligations discovered etc. Not to mention all the people soon not available due to Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous
ReplyDeleteJudging from my own previous experience in Government bureaucracy it may take until late February 2019 or March for the DoD to get its act together to prepare for Strategic Partnering Agreement (SPA) signing.
By that time Pyne and the rest of the Coalition Government will be fighting tooth and nail to win the May 2019 Elections. Pyne may be distracted with no signature happening...
Regards
Pete
Pyne missing a photo opportunity? As it’s in his home town, I am sure he will find the time. Nothing a polllie likes better than a positive story that involves jobs, especially if it involves electorates that could include their own or where the margins are close.
ReplyDeleteWell yes, Pyne may sign the Strategic Partnering Agreement (SPA) as a pre-election photo opportunity in his Adelaide electorate.
ReplyDeleteBut when Pyne and his Party lose the May 2019 Elections won't the incoming Labor Party Government be at a disadvantage when it rapidly and predictably needs to renegotiate the SPA?
After all the SPA concerns Australia's largest, most expensive, project over the next 50 years.
While this might not be worthy of the high quality blog you have here Pete, I suggest renaming the Class to "Middle Aged" Class.
ReplyDeleteWe won't get them all til 2050, right?
:)
Adrian
So true Adrian
ReplyDeleteI'll be about 76 years old, in 2038, when the first attack category, Middle Aged, attack submarine, is commissioned.
Regards
Pete