No cuts yet at HMAS Stirling

Despite a Budget announcement that 1000 civilian staff jobs will be axed Australia wide, the Defence Department says it is too early to speculate on whether any of those job losses will be at HMAS Stirling.

‘‘The workforce reductions will be primarily achieved through natural attrition, some reductions in hiring new staff and if required some limited voluntary retrenchments,’’ a department spokesman said.

‘‘But there will be no reductions to the Australian Defence Force military workforce as a result of these changes.’’

In May Defence Minister Stephen Smith said the reduction in civilian jobs would take place during the next three years.

The spokesman said the submariner operations at Garden Island had not been affected by any cuts announced in the Budget.

He said the navy was happy with the progress of projects at HMAS Stirling, particularly the submarine escape training facility where submariners had had completed their first course at the end of March.