NOT for the first time, the prospect has been raised of Newcastle becoming a major naval base.
A decade ago a spokesman for then Labor Defence Minister John Moore noted that Newcastle, along with Jervis Bay on the NSW South Coast, was a natural candidate for a naval presence.
Newcastle is close to Sydney, has shipbuilding and repair expertise and a long-standing relationship with the navy.
This week the state Minister for the Hunter, Jodi McKay, suggested the city could host six of the Navy's submarines. Defence leaders are reportedly interested in spreading some east coast naval functions, and talks have already taken place with Newcastle's port authorities.
It goes without saying that the move, if it occurred, would be of great economic benefit to the Hunter Region. The jobs and work created would add depth and strength to the regional economy and enhance progress towards making the Hunter into a major national defence industry hub.
Novocastrians while certain to be excited at the prospect are unlikely to allow themselves to become too hopeful. Past bitter experiences of political decisions on such matters have engendered a deep cynicism. The submarine contract, the frigate bid and the abortive campaign to make the city the national headquarters of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority have not yet quite faded from memory.
In each case political considerations were widely believed to have worked against the interests of the perpetually reliable safe Labor seat of Newcastle.
More recently, this State Labor Government's decision to force car importers to locate a new terminal at Port Kembla instead of at their preferred site of Newcastle left a lasting sense of betrayal among those aware of the episode.
If matters were permitted to be resolved on merit, then Newcastle would almost certainly be chosen as a navy base.
It remains to be seen whether the national and state electoral landscapes have evolved sufficiently to allow rational considerations to trump politics in important decisions such as these.
Feed the watchdog
CORPORATE crime isn't victimless, as Federal Financial Services Minister Chris Bowen has observed.
Many Hunter people who have suffered big losses in a variety of company collapses and scams will be pleased at Mr Bowen's announcement of stronger investigative powers for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Having lost a string of recent high-profile cases, ASIC argued it needed more clout. The Government has obliged. But matters should not stop there.
Lack of funding, staff and expertise means ASIC prosecutes only a fraction of the matters brought to its attention. Too often it appears that cases involving regionally based corporate scams are among those most readily left unaddressed. If the Government is serious about stamping out white collar crime it will give ASIC more resources to do its job.
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