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PRIME MINISTER
CHEC&-AGAINS-DELLYERY. EMBARGOED-JNT-1L-DELLVERY
SPEECH BY THE PRlIME MINISTER
KEEL-LAYING CEREMONY
PORT ADELAIDE 1 MARCH 1991
Dr Don Williams, Managing Director, Australian Submarine
Corporation Premier John Bannon,
Mrs Jean Farncomb
Vice Admiral Mike Hudson
Distinguished Guests
Three years ago this site was open land.
Fifteen months ago I came to Port Adelaide to open what had
become a brand-new facility for the construction of
Australia's planned class of submarines.
It is satisfying indeed to come back today and to see the
progress which you have made since then and in particular
to be present at the genesis of this boat, the Farncomb.
It is a special pleasure to be joined on this occasion by
Mrs Jean Farncomb, the widow of Rear Admiral Farncomb whose
lifetime of service in the Royal Australian Navy is
commemorated in this vessel.
on thi: 3 occasion of such importance to the Royal Australian
Navy, it is right that I should express on behalf of us all,
our pride in the skill that our service men and women have
shown in recent months in the Gulf. They have done honour
to themaselves, to their service, and to the nation. We in
turn honour them, and we rejoice with them, and with their
families, that they have been spared casualties. As I said
yesterday, we hope that we can welcome them all safely home
soon. A great deal is spoken about defence self-reliance. Today,
with this submarine and with this construction project, we
see the proof of Australia's capacity to provide, as never
before, for its own defence.
There are two important elements to this notion of selfreliance.
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