00:00A ceremonial start to the build of six future Navy frigates through the push of a button.
00:10The Defence Minister, the South Australian Premier and Navy top brass marking the long-awaited
00:15beginning of hunter class construction at Osborne in Adelaide's North West.
00:20What this represents is the transition from design and prototype to actually building
00:25HMAS Hunter.
00:27The frigate program has faced uncertainty, time and cost blowouts and was cut back in
00:32February from nine to six vessels.
00:35With construction now underway, contracts are in place with shipbuilder BAE Systems
00:40and Richard Miles says the government is working closely with the firm on costs.
00:44There will be an ongoing negotiation around what prices look like for vessels in the future.
00:51But that pricing negotiation has been happening.
00:54Continuing negotiations about paying conditions seeing workers at submarine maker ASC walk
00:59off the job at the same time as the ceremony from the adjoining shipyard where the ageing
01:04Collins class submarines are being maintained and upgraded.
01:10The guys are just after parity with Western Australian workers, they do the same job.
01:14Perth is also the home port for the HMAS Stalwart which is currently stuck in Darwin and is
01:19one of two Navy supply ships now out of operation.
01:23The Chief of Navy says problems hit the vessel after finishing a border protection mission.
01:28My focus is on understanding the issue, returning the ship to safe operation and getting it
01:33back to home port.
01:34Investigations with the HMAS Stalwart continue.
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