Ome would assume thatif we needed to defend the top end, that any pending attack would come from the likes of Indonesia, so, wouldn't it make sense to have our navy based in either Darwin, or Broom.

Just a thought!

In any case, this is simply a desperate move from Rudd, as he is loosing badly.

It's just a shame more emphasis hasn't been placed on the timing of this thought bubble, that being, 2030, some 23 years away.

Forgetting party politics at the moment. Is there a benefit in moving the Navy north? I am not a defence expert so cannot put forward an informed opinion.

However I wonder if it has more to do with securing votes in some of the shakier QLD seats than to do with defence. Or more likely, after discussions with Obama, the US has dictated that it be so. If it is the latter then no doubt Tony Abbott and the Libs will follow suit.

I know nothing about Oz Navy but wouldn't it be better to have the Navy located closer to any prospective enemy like Indonesia and China?
Wouldn't it be better near Darwin or Brisbane or Broom or even Perth? I think Sydney is to far away from any current thret like Indonesia and any other enemy countrys like China.

Misanthrope none of our northern ports are really suitable for a navy base. All of the Queensland ports have long dredged channels to get into or out of the port. These are many miles, not just a short distance. Nothing is more vulnerable than a ship restricted to a narrow channel if under attack. They are a sitting duck for air attack.

This is not hearsay, I am an ex navy pilot.

Even Brisbane does not have anything like the facilities to service & support modern ships, nor the industrial skill base to return a damaged ship quickly to service. This is even worse for other Qld ports & for Darwin.

Almost as important is the restriction inside the Reef, where dispersal options are very limited, making ships movements too easily predictable. It is much more important to be unpredictable than close to your enemy.

As a southern Queenslander, with a son in the navy, I would love to have him nearer to home, but I would rather have him on a ship that was highly useful, rather than highly vulnerable.

Just to give a RAAF example, when there was a bit of an emergency some years ago the first thing we did was get every asset to the very South of Australia.

Ships would be the same, can't afford to lose them in the first few hours.

Perhaps Kevin needs the entire navy as taxi cabs for the boat people?

onthebeach..<<..Just to give a RAAF example,..when there was a bit of an emergency some years ago>>

your not talking the brissie..line[ww2]
when midget subs [3]..got into sydney harbor

just..like say a water based version
of the 'drone''..may one day return..

[say some smart..torpedo bombing thingy..operated remotely..in huge numbers..like a drone..using google earth?..or strapped tosome fishy thingy

look the real issue is the brass
love the nightlife..and an easy bed to roll into..after partying hearty..in central sydney

no one is stupid enough to invade aussie
BECAUSE..its too easy to re invade..needs far too many..troops tobe boughht in..then lines of supply..BUT then..what booty

nuthin
aussie is just imposable for any INVADER..to hold..
not even near anything..trade routes..or for pipelines

nuthin..of easy take able value..[loot]
nor population..nor processing..this invasion thing..just wont stick

and ruperts son wont want..any competition