Rockingham Braces for AUKUS Influx as Local Leaders Raise Concerns Over Strained Resources

Rockingham is bracing for a significant influx of service personnel and their families with the arrival of the first AUKUS nuclear submarine and associated personnel just 385 days away. Local leaders are concerned that the community's resources are already stretched, with infrastructure and services facing increased demand.

Rockingham Mayor Lorna Buchan said the area near HMAS Stirling was experiencing strong population growth, even before the arrival of the first Submarine Rotational Force personnel. "We're growing by 14 people a day, which is over 5,000 people a year coming to Rockingham without any defence personnel arriving," Ms Buchan said. "We have to think about the numbers involved within the rotational force coming from the US."

Approximately 1,200 serving personnel are expected to arrive over the next four years, with around 50 per cent of them having families. A report commissioned by the City of Rockingham in 2023 showed that roads around Cape Peron were already at capacity, with people using "rat runs" to navigate the traffic. The area lacks an industrial hub, exacerbating the traffic problem, with 70 per cent of the population leaving the area to work and study.

Ms Buchan and Warwick Carter, director of Perth South West Metropolitan Alliance, are calling for greater funding from the federal government to support communities that host defence facilities. Mr Carter said the influx of defence personnel and workers would stimulate job creation, but also put pressure on the community. "We want to keep the quality of life we have down here," he said. "Can we make sure baristas can still afford to live here? Can we make sure there's enough childcare centres? Can we make sure there's enough retail? Because that's where the growth pressures will be felt."

Mr Carter suggested a pilot project of $50 million to support infrastructure development in defence communities. "We've put a proposal to the federal government saying we should have a fund," he said. "We've suggested a pilot project of $50 million, not just for our region, but for any defence community in Australia, so places like Wagga, Townsville, they could apply for it as well to put in infrastructure that helps create more resilient communities."

WA Minister for Manufacturing, Skills and TAFE, Amber-Jade Sanderson, said the state government had already provided support and would continue to do so. "There's significant support already going into the community and we're always looking at how we can support more," Ms Sanderson said. "They've been provided around $20 million worth of funding from the state government for sporting facilities, including their aquatic centre and the basketball centre."

Local leaders also identified a need for more training to be available locally for skilled jobs created in defence and associated industries. Ms Buchan suggested reopening the Rockingham campus of Murdoch University and establishing a skills centre in Rockingham. Ms Sanderson agreed, saying she was looking at ways to train the workforce needed in the future. "We'll be releasing the Workforce Development Plan later this year, which is an industry-based plan for the resources sector, defence, creative skills and industry, manufacturing, clean energy," she said.