The future of Western Australia's flagship Henderson shipyard is under a cloud following revelations that senior defence officials secretly explored moving a major naval project to Europe.
This covert consideration directly contradicts the federal government's public commitment to building a sovereign naval shipbuilding industry in Australia, centred on the Henderson precinct south of Perth.
Covert Search for European Alternatives
According to documents obtained under Freedom of Information, officials from the Department of Defence and the Australian Border Force actively investigated the feasibility of constructing new Cape-class patrol boats in a European shipyard.
This search occurred in late 2023, at the same time the government was publicly promoting Henderson as the cornerstone of its national naval strategy. The proposed European build was considered as a direct alternative to the planned construction of six new vessels at the WA facility.
The documents show officials requested detailed pricing and scheduling information from at least one European shipbuilder. This move signals a significant lack of confidence in the local industry's capacity to deliver the project on time and within budget.
A Blow to WA Jobs and Sovereign Capability
The potential shift of work overseas represents a major threat to the economic promises tied to the Henderson expansion. The federal and state governments have long touted the shipyard as an engine for job creation and industrial growth in Western Australia.
"This is a betrayal of the promise made to Western Australians," said a state government source familiar with the matter. "The entire premise of investing billions in Henderson was to build sovereign capability and secure skilled manufacturing jobs for decades."
The Cape-class patrol boat program is a critical pillar of this plan. Diverting it overseas would not only cost local jobs but also undermine the skills pipeline needed for larger, more complex future projects promised for the site.
Official Silence and Mounting Questions
When questioned about the secret European option, a Defence Department spokesperson provided a generic statement reaffirming the government's commitment to Australian shipbuilding. They did not directly address the specific FOI documents or explain why the overseas alternative was pursued.
This lack of transparency has angered industry stakeholders and political representatives. They are demanding to know:
- How advanced the European negotiations became.
- What specific cost or timeline concerns prompted the look overseas.
- Whether the Henderson facility is still considered viable for its slated projects.
The controversy casts serious doubt on the timeline and certainty of the entire Henderson redevelopment. The shipyard was meant to be upgraded to support the construction of new Navy and Border Force vessels, part of a massive national defence investment.
This incident reveals a troubling disconnect between the government's public-facing optimism about Australian shipbuilding and the private concerns of its defence officials. The secret European gambit suggests that, behind closed doors, the viability of the Henderson vision is being questioned by the very people tasked with executing it.
For Western Australia, the stakes are immense. The promised renaissance of advanced manufacturing and thousands of skilled jobs now hangs in the balance, dependent on a project that officials themselves appear to have doubted.
