Maitland Wins Navy Nod With Vessel In Its Honour
Newcastle Herald
Wednesday September 3, 2003
MAITLAND was named yesterday as one of 12 Australian towns and cities to have a new Royal Australian Navy vessel named in its honour.
But not everyone is happy with the Federal Government's move.
Defence Minister Robert Hill announced HMAS Maitland would be one of 12 ``bigger, faster and more capable" patrol boats to be built in Western Australia over the next five years.
All 12 vessels will be named after Australian regional centres, including Armidale, Bathurst, Wollongong, Childers and Broome.
Maitland was chosen because of a naval depot located in the region from August 1940 to September 1946.
``Naming the ships after Australian cities and towns will hopefully build on these links and encourage a close association between the navy and local communities in these areas," Mr Hill said.
Maitland Mayor Peter Blackmore, whose son serves on an Australian Customs patrol boat, said he was ``deeply honoured" that the city had been selected.
``This is wonderful news and the city will gladly support it," he said.
But Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Grierson yesterday lashed out at what she described as a ``slap in the face" for the Hunter Region.
Ms Grierson was referring to the fact that ADI originally tendered for the right to build the patrol boats at its shipyard in Carrington.
The Government announced in June that the company was out of the running for the contract, jeopardising the future viability of ADI's Carrington operations, with up to 100 jobs hanging in the balance.
``This is not just a slap in the face for us, it's a slap in the face for regional Australia," Ms Grierson said.
``This is the worst kind of tokenism from a Government that has shown no regard for regions or any interest in sustaining their economic development."
© 2003 Newcastle Herald