PRIME MINISTER 109/ 92
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING, MP
NORTH WEST CAPE NAVAL COMMUNICATION STATION
The Government is pleased to announce that an Australian,
Commander Cris George, assumes command today of the North
West Cape Naval Communication. Station.
Today's command change is part of a phased handover of the
Station to Australian control, which will see it become an
entirely Australian facility by the end of the century. The
transition in the Station's management is the result of
arrangements worked out between the Australian and United
States Governments, and the State Government of Western
Australia. Since the Station commenced operation in the 1960s to serve
the needs of US Navy submarines, it has been a fine example
of defence coopetration between Australia and theUnited_
States._ The Station has operated as a joint facility since
1974, enabling the Royal Australian Navy, as well as the US
Navy, to carry out vital communication with their
submarines. The Station's work under Australian control will continue to
be important in allowing the RAN to communicate with its
submarine force, a force whose effectiveness will be greatly
enhanced as the Collins Class submarines come into service
from 1995.
The Australian Government also welcomes continuing US joint
use of the Station until the end of the decade. The
Government values highly the continuing contribution that
our alliance partnership with the United States makes to
Australian and regional security.
The Government's defence policy has been focused on
achieving greater self reliance within the framework of a
strong alliance with the United States and effective
regional cooperation.
The Government will be represented at the command handover
ceremony by the Hon Gordon Bilney MP, Acting Minister for
Defence. I join with Mr Bilney in assuring all Australians,
and the local community in particular, that the North West
Cape Communication Station will continue to play an integral
part in the defence of Australia well into the next century.
CANBERRA 1 October 1992
800" ON œ 2 : ST Z6* 0"* T: 7-31