Australian Navy struggles to sail the seven seas

An Australian Navel photographer takes a picture of the resupply vessel HMAS Sirius. Picture: Charlie Brewer.

Official figures reveal some vessels were out of action for months while others have been put on “extended readiness” – they could be put into service but at a later date – due to a lack of crew. Two minehunters have been mothballed indefinitely.

Opposition defence spokesman David Johnston said the fleet’s parlous state was now an issue of national security.

“The past four years of the Rudd-Gillard government has seen our naval fleet fall into a state of disrepair with many ships sidelined because of a lack of care and maintenance,” he said. “It has long ceased to be just a maintenance issue and is now an issue of national security.”

The figures related to the state of the naval fleet between January and June this year.

Two of the navy’s newest ships, minehunters HMAS Hawkesbury and HMAS Norman – built by Australian Defence Industries in Newcastle and commissioned in 2000 – were “decrewed” and placed into reserve this year.

If the ships were required to come back into service, the Department of Defence estimates it would take up to five years to bring them back to operational status.

Of the 12 frigates, Anzac and Arunta were placed in “extended readiness” due to the navy being unable to obtained sufficient numbers of qualified marine technicians.

A third, Newcastle, underwent scheduled maintenance between January and April only to be brought back to the yard twice for “unscheduled defect rectification”.

Both naval supply ships, Success and Sirius, have also had maintenance setbacks.

Success was double-skinned for about $12 million in Singapore to help guard against potential oil leaks only for the vessel to be returned to Australia for maintenance.

Sirius underwent maintenance in the first half of the year only to be put out of action again in June due to defects.

Of the nine amphibious ships, Kanimbla has been placed in an “operational pause” while Manoora was decommissioned after ongoing repairs were deemed too costly.

The 14 Patrol Boat Force vessels, most of which are heavily involved in intercepting illegal boats, have also been in and out of action due to ongoing repairs.

A spokesman for Defence Minister Stephen Smith said the navy was addressing the problems as identified in the report on naval repair by the defence management expert Paul Rizzo.

“The navy currently meets its operational commitments be they in the Middle East, on border protection operations, in international engagement or in multilateral training exercises,” the spokesman said.

“It is now making solid headway in progressing Mr Rizzo’s recommendations.”