A Project of Concern Summit was held in Canberra on 30 July 2025 to support the sustainment of Australia’s Collins class submarines.
“The former Coalition government did not value this process. Labor has delivered much needed stability to the Defence portfolio which is helping to drive cultural change and deliver capabilities to keep Australians safe," Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, stated.
Minister for Finance, Senator Katy Gallagher, and Conroy, convened the Summit, which was attended by government and industry representatives.
“This is the ninth overall summit held under the Albanese Government in just over three years, compared to the former Coalition government which only managed to hold four in almost a decade in office," Conroy said. “ASC is committed to working with Defence to improve Collins class submarine sustainment performance and to effectively deliver safe and high-quality sustainment of Collins class submarines."
The government will provide up to $5 billion over the next decade to extend the life of the Collins class, which they hope will ensure there is no capability gap until Australia transitions to its future conventionally armed, nuclear-powered AUKUS submarines. With Collins class submarines required to operate beyond their original design life, an appropriate sustainment plan is also required to ensure they remain operational.
Defence and the contractor, ASC Pty Ltd, have continued to work on the sustainment plan since Collins class was listed as a Product of Concern in 2024. This has included undertaking activities to build the submarine sustainment workforce.
Collins class submarine sustainment has previously been a Product of Concern spanning successive governments, from November 2008 until October 2017.
This is the ninth overall summit held by the Government under the Projects of Concern process.