YET another RUDD UNCOSTED DESPERATE THOUGHT BUBBLE

[nero_bolt]

Rudd's pledge to move navy from Garden Island 'a threat to NSW economy'

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has lashed Kevin Rudd's surprise pledge to move navy warships from Sydney's Garden Island to northern Australia as a threat to the state's economy.

The Prime Minister says the move is part of a long-term plan to modernise the navy and respond to defence and security priorities.

But the announcement, which has been costed at $6 billion, is a policy u-turn for Labor, with Julia Gillard's 2013 defence white paper deciding against the move.

Mr O'Farrell says a 2011 review found Garden Island injected $470 million a year into the NSW economy and employed 6700 people, including up to 4000 jobs at the naval base.

"My concern today waking up to this news, without any advice beforehand, off the back of a defence review that said 'don't change the current arrangements', is this is going to be devastating for those families whose loved ones work there," he told ABC radio.

And it's going to be devastating for the state's economy."

Mr O'Farrell said even if Garden Island was used for tourism, it would never support the number of defence and private industry jobs associated with the base.

Coalition frontbencher Christopher Pyne dismissed the idea as another "Kevin Rudd thought bubble."

"It's entirely uncosted," he told ABC radio.

"It could cost anything up to several billion dollars and cost several thousand jobs in NSW."

Mr Rudd was revealing more details of his proposal to move the navy north over time, in a speech to the Lowy Institute in Sydney on Tuesday.

He says there are many reasons for a relocation.

"Of course the Port of Brisbane is a big port, the Port of Brisbane also has the great advantage strategically of the proximity of the army base at Enoggera, as does Townsville with the close location of Lavarack barracks," he told ABC radio.

Malcolm Turnbull said he would be sorry to see the navy leave Sydney's Garden Island, which is located in his se

at of Wentworth.

He said the decision represented a complete U-turn after the ''realistic'' advice of the White Paper and was just a desperate bid by Mr Rudd for votes in Queensland.

''This is just another desperate effort to shore up support in Queensland and it's another empty promise, uncosted,'' Mr Turnbull told ABC radio.

''Why is Rudd making this announcement today?

''It's obvious that he is worried about losing seats in Queensland.

[i-need-a-martini]

Anybody seen the number of cruise ships trying to dock in Sydney Harbour lately? Half the time they have to dock at Garden Island anyway because the international shipping terminal is loaded. Plus the cruise ships are getting bigger and bigger so Garden Island is often their only choice.

I thought it was a great idea and I am surprised O'Farrell isn't seeing the dollar potential for his government.

[kengillard]

He's at it again...............sick to death of his prevarications......wish I could say what I really think.

[lakeland27]

me too, but for entirely different reasons,

[freakiness]

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@lakeland27 wrote:

me too, but for entirely different reasons,

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Beats me how anyone can think it's a bad idea to get the task force to look at this.

Perhaps Abbott was going to say the same tomorrow and got beaten to it.

[lakeland27]

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@freakiness wrote:

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@lakeland27 wrote:

me too, but for entirely different reasons,

---

Beats me how anyone can think it's a bad idea to get the task force to look at this.

Perhaps Abbott was going to say the same tomorrow and got beaten to it.

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his point about the region is valid. asia is the region where our navy operates (except when its guarding someones oil in the gulf)

so a point of deployment.. a more northerly base makes complete sense.

[freakiness]

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@lakeland27 wrote:

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@freakiness wrote:

---

@lakeland27 wrote:

me too, but for entirely different reasons,

---

Beats me how anyone can think it's a bad idea to get the task force to look at this.

Perhaps Abbott was going to say the same tomorrow and got beaten to it.

---

his point about the region is valid. asia is the region where our navy operates (except when its guarding someones oil in the gulf)

so a point of deployment.. a more northerly base makes complete sense.

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Plus what they were saying about the cruise ships means as many jobs will come as will go in Sydney, if not more.

[windrake]

Poor Kevin, the forced smile stuck his face like a rictus, gladhanding O'Farrell then WHAM, knocked out in one punch, then he had to scurry away like a beaten dog.

What's he going to "announce" today?? invade Syria? this man is a dangerous, we all know it , Labor know it but it's what they chose so they will go down with him.

[polksaladallie]

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@windrake wrote:

Poor Kevin, the forced smile stuck his face like a rictus, gladhanding O'Farrell then WHAM, knocked out in one punch, then he had to scurry away like a beaten dog.

What's he going to "announce" today?? invade Syria? this man is a dangerous lunatic, we all know it , Labor know it but it's what they chose so they will go down with him.

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The radio told me this mornng that there is almost surely going to be a USA air strike on Syria by Wednesday.  So I would think that the PM would have to tell us at some time.