THE highest-ranking officer in the US Navy was in Perth this week to scope out facilities for US sailors and families settling in the Rockingham area as a result of the AUKUS treaty.
Admiral Daryl Caudle said his visit was focused on checking on AUKUS agreement milestones and seeking out housing within a 30km radius of HMAS Stirling.
“I’ve been stationed all over the world, I think what I saw today is significantly above average, really,” Adm Caudle said.
Whilst US sailors are “falling in love” with the convenience of settling down in the Rockingham area, Stop AUKUS WA campaign co-ordinator Leonie Lundy said they were concerned the US Navy would “outcompete” locals for housing.
“How can defence justify out-competing the housing construction industry,” Ms Lundy said.
But Admiral Caudle said it would provide an “opportunity” for businesses in Rockingham, Cockburn and Fremantle.
“I would call it a blip in size, but the actual impact of what US sailors will bring to the local economy here, I think will be significant, and a big opportunity for your country,” Adm Caudle said.
• Admiral Daryl Caudle tours HMAS Stirling. Photo courtesy US Navy.
US Navy public affairs officer David Hecht said local communities should be “excited over concerned” for the arrival of US sailors.
“Our sailors like to get involved in the communities,” Cmdr Hecht said.
“They like to coach sports, they like to be involved with the churches.
“So this is a lot of people that are coming to help make a community better.”
Ms Lundy also expressed concern over the potential military target the WA coast could become whilst maintaining US nuclear submarines.
“We have always maintained that having nuclear power submarines on rotation and then further based, especially US ones, does make Cockburn sound and put Cockburn community at risk,” Ms Lundy said.
“It’s not only HMAS Stirling where the subs would be based but given but now we have the dry dock maintenance and the nuclear submarines being built at the new defence precinct in Henderson, so it brings it further up the coast of Cockburn sound,”
Although Adm Caudle wouldn’t comment on Operation Epic Fury in Iran, he said it was implied that Australia would continue to support the US and its activities, especially when the country receives its first fleet of Virginia class submarines in 2032.
“A navy certainly is designed to defend the homeland, for sure, for both of our countries.
“But you have navies to project power as well.
“So there’s power projection needs, because the best way to defend the homeland is to actually utilise your navy globally to the extent you can.
“When you have a great relationship with a country and you have the same national interest to protect the international rules-based order, to protect, again, sea lanes of communication, to protect, you, critical chokepoints, the flow of commerce, those types of missions are just common to like minded navies.”
by IMOGEN WALSH