A defence expert has warned Australia is risking a national security crisis by selling off a historic Melbourne shipyard to a Chinese-linked developer.<\/p>\n
Michael Shoebridge, director of Strategic Analysis Australia, warned the country is giving away a prime site that could be used to build future naval capability and should be retained for defence purposes.<\/p>\n
The former shipyard at Williamstown was used to build the Royal Australian Navy\u2019s Anzac-class frigates, which remain in service.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not going to get a site like that again,\u201d Mr Shoebridge told News24 host Jaimee Rogers.<\/p>\n
\u201cSelling it off for a cheap sugar hit for some apartments is a really bad idea.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Shoebridge said countries around the world were investing in their shipyards rather than selling strategically important waterfront land, arguing Australia should be doing the same.<\/p>\n
He also criticised the government\u2019s plan to sell dozens of historic defence properties, including Sydney\u2019s 184-year-old Victoria Barracks<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t get that real estate back again, and we should be investing in our defence capability and our defence industry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t believe we\u2019re giving this golden site away.\u201d<\/p>\n His comments come amid a debate over the Albanese government\u2019s proposed disposal of 67 Defence properties<\/a>, with Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles previously arguing the military no longer needs Victoria Barracks and that maintaining the site would cost taxpayers $200m over the next decade.<\/p>\n Mr Shoebridge also raised concerns about the growing threat of cyber-attacks, saying there were legitimate reasons for households to consider keeping some cash and essential supplies at home.<\/p>\n He pointed to reports of European supermarket networks being crippled by recent cyber attacks<\/a>.<\/p>\n On Australia\u2019s $368bn AUKUS submarine program<\/a>, Mr Shoebridge said the government needed to better explain why the investment was the right use of defence funding.<\/p>\n He questioned whether a fleet of eight nuclear-powered submarines, expected to be delivered over several decades, would provide enough capability across Australia\u2019s vast maritime approaches.<\/p>\n \u201cWe absolutely should\u201d be investing in emerging capabilities such as drones, he said, arguing they could provide greater numbers and coverage.<\/p>\n He did, however, reject suggestions Australia should abandon AUKUS on the basis that China did not pose a military threat, pointing to Beijing\u2019s activity in the region and its recent naval deployment around Australia.<\/p>\n Read related topics:National Security<\/a>Victoria Barracks<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A defence expert has warned Australia is risking a national security crisis by selling off a historic 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