Rockingham grapples with new-found growth as AUKUS plans accelerate
SOURCE:ABC Australia|BY:Rhiannon Shine
Rockingham in Perth's south is fast becoming a crucial part of the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, with promises of a big boost in jobs and infrastructure — but it's also leaving residents afraid for their lives and lifestyle.
It's a warm summer's day at the beginning of school holidays in the seaside city of Rockingham, in Perth's south.
Kids are backflipping off the jetty and hanging out on the pontoon, while young families build sandcastles and paddle in the calm shallows.
The seaside suburb in Perth's south is popular with families and holidaygoers. (ABC News: Rhiannon Shine)
But this place is no sleepy holiday town — it's fast becoming a major defence hub and crucial part of the AUKUS trilateral security partnership.
From the shore, you can see a steady stream of cars and trucks crossing the causeway that connects Rockingham to HMAS Stirling naval base on Garden Island, where a multi-billion-dollar plan is well underway.
The area features a causeway linking Rockingham with the HMAS Stirling naval base. (ABC News: Rhiannon Shine)
Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West) will see up to five nuclear-powered submarines start rotating through HMAS Stirling for maintenance and repairs starting from 2027.
It's been touted as a boon for the area, with governments promising a big injection of jobs and infrastructure spending.
Later in the day, around 100 residents file into a community hall in the centre of town to hear from some of Australia's top navy officials.
Part of a series of AUKUS community information sessions hosted by the Australian Submarine Agency (ASA), the forums are a chance for locals to have their questions answered.
One of the first ones comes from local mother Latoya Voogt.
She prefaces her question by referencing a recent Four Corners investigation that discussed the heightened risk of an attack on Australian bases with US nuclear submarines in port.
"If a hypersonic missile is launched at nuclear submarines, what is the process for informing and evacuating the residents?" Latoya asks.
Rockingham resident Latoya Voogt is worried about the area becoming a target for attack. (ABC News: Rhiannon Shine)
"We are unwillingly living on the frontline."
Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead responds by saying the nuclear-powered submarines are all about making Australia safer.
"The reason Australia is embarking on a capability that has such incredible flexibility and stealth is actually to defend Australia, protect our people, and to ensure our prosperity is maintained," he says.
Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead says the nuclear-powered submarines will make Australia safer. (ABC News: Rhiannon Shine)
"We live in a region that is deteriorating by the year. We're seeing a number of countries blatantly disregarding the rules-based order.
"These submarines are designed to prevent an adversary from attacking Australia."
Unsatisfied with the response, Latoya repeats her question about what the plan is for informing residents of an emergency.
The AUKUS project has been touted by governments as a catalyst for jobs and infrastructure spending. (ABC News: Rhiannon Shine)
She's eventually told that people would get alerts and information through the police, in the same way they do when there is a bushfire emergency.
Speakers also have concerns about the possibility that submarines carrying nuclear weapons could visit Rockingham in the future. (Department of Defence)
The ASA says small amounts of low-level radiological waste will be safely managed, including through a radiological monitoring program and a new purpose-built facility.
Those with the loudest concerns appear unconvinced and sceptical.
Some opponents to the plan are worried about the effect of an influx of US personnel on local housing and infrastructure. (ABC News: Rhiannon Shine)
Meanwhile, other residents at the meeting seem less concerned about nuclear, but want to hear more about how their growing city will cope with the influx of people.
Up to 1,100 US personnel, around half of them with families, are set to be posted to the area.
There are questions about what this will mean for Rockingham's housing market, traffic congestion, and public infrastructure like schools and hospitals.
Pressure from growing city
Some personnel will be accommodated on the HMAS Stirling base, while others will live in surrounding suburbs.
Up to five nuclear-powered submarines are expected to start rotating through HMAS Stirling for maintenance and repairs starting from 2027. (ABC News: Rhiannon Shine)
Defence Housing Australia plans to double the size of its Rockingham property portfolio over the next five years to around 1,200.
Rockingham mayor Lorna Buchan, who supports the AUKUS plan, says Rockingham's population is already growing at 14 people per day.
"For every one defence job, that creates another 1.7 jobs to service those defence personnel," she says.
"Be that in childcare, shops, restaurants.
"So we are going to face quite a bit of pressure on housing, roads and community infrastructure."
Mayor Lorna Buchan says the town will "face quite a bit of pressure on housing, roads and community infrastructure." (ABC News: Rhiannon Shine)
Ms Buchan says the city was awaiting final state government approval to proceed with a plan aimed at unlocking thousands of extra dwellings in the city centre.
Locals remain dubious
Vice Admiral Mead says the AUKUS pact was already paying big dividends for the community, pointing to a recent four-week maintenance stopover by the USS Vermont submarine.
Vice Admiral Mead estimates the USS Vermont's recent stop pumped $7 million into the Rockingham community. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
"It's the longest and most complex maintenance period a US submarine has undertaken outside US territory," Vice Admiral Mead tells the forum.
"In the 30 days that submarine was here, our estimates are that $7 million was directly injected into the Rockingham community [through] cranes, workforce, supply costs, restaurants, hotel rooms, hire cars."
That's unlikely to be enough to convince residents like Latoya Voogt.
"If I could afford it, I would move away," she says.