Your Excellency Sir Eric Neal, Mr Evans (representing the Premier), Deputy Minister Jonsson, Mr Ohff, Mrs Hayes, other members of the Sheean family, former shipmates of Ordinary Seaman "Teddy" Sheean, distinguished guests.

It is a great pleasure and privilege to be here today to participate in launching the fifth submarine of the COLLINS Class, constructed here in Adelaide for the Royal Australian Navy.

I would like to begin by extending a special welcome to my counterpart and colleague from Sweden, Deputy minister for Defence, Ms Lena Jonsson, who is representing the Swedish Government at today’s ceremony.

The cooperation that has been achieved between Australia and Sweden has been one of the outstanding successes of the submarine project.

The project has been a catalyst for wide ranging cooperation, particularly, of course, in the fields of defence and defence related industry.

The Australian Government welcomes the ongoing exchange of ideas, technology and personnel.

We remain fully committed to this relationship and we look forward to further extending and building on it to the mutual benefit of both our countries.

May I also say what a pleasure and an honour it is to have with us Mrs Ivy Hayes, sister of Teddy Sheean, who will very shortly name the submarine in honour of her late brother.

There are many other members of the Sheean family also here today, including Teddy’s brother Herbert and many of his nieces and cousins. Welcome.

Also present are a number of Teddy Sheean’s shipmates, who served with him during World War Two and were close by him when he died so heroically at his gun, defending his mates to the very last as their ship, HMAS Armidale, was sunk under Japanese air attack off Timor in December 1942.

I understand that, later in today’s proceedings, the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Chalmers, will say more about the circumstances of HMAS Armidale’s loss and the heroic part played by Teddy Sheean.

However, I would like to say at this time that your former shipmate served his country with great distinction, and in so doing, made the ultimate sacrifice for his mates and his country.

It is very fitting that Australia should recognise and honour his bravery and his sacrifice by the naming of this submarine for him.

I believe that this is the first time an Australian warship has been named for a former Junior Sailor of the Royal Australian Navy.

That in itself is recognition of the debt owed to Teddy Sheean by the people of Australia.

It is also fitting that those of you who knew him best -- his family and shipmates -- should gather to share his memory on this very special occasion. It is a very special and proud day for us all.

I would also like to pay tribute to Mr Hans Ohff and the people of the Australian Submarine Corporation, to Commodore Asker and his project team ---

And to the many thousands of people throughout Australia and the world who have contributed to the massive undertaking that is producing our COLLINS submarines.

Today is a day of achievement and honour, however, I must mention the negative media coverage and public comment that the project has attracted, particularly in recent months.

I believe that there has been a general lack of understanding in the media and wider community of the complexity of this $5 billion dollar project.

There has also been a lack of appreciation of the many examples of outstanding achievement and technological excellence it has produced.

Glib criticism about noise levels, or combat system delays repeated often enough have the danger of being accepted as the real story of the submarine project simply because of that repetition.

But in listening to that criticism, we should not let the history of achievement be forgotten or obscured.

We should recognise the achievements like:

• The state of the art ship control and monitoring system - this is an integrated system that is a world leading product;

• The sound absorbing tiles developed and manufactured here in Australia;

• The high strength steel developed in Australia specially for the submarines;

• The Australian welding standards that set world best practice and exceed the industry norm by a factor of more than ten;

• The excellent dynamic performance of the submarine (its manoeuvrability)

• The level of Australian industry involvement -- more than 72 cents in every dollar has been spent here in Australia;

• The increased quality standards achieved by Australian firms because of their involvement in the project and the edge this gives them in their other operations; and

• The SUB SAFE program for ensuring the safe operation of the class -- a safety system that is a model for the rest of the world.

A project of the scale, ambition and complexity of the submarine project will have its difficulties, however, the hard work by all involved and the strong interest and commitment from Government will ensure the project’s success.

I am confident that, once we have set the negative aspects behind us, we will have an outstanding submarine that will equal or surpass any other conventionally powered submarine in existence.

It will keep Australia at the forefront of conventional submarine technology well into the 21^st Century.

Further, what Australia has gained through this project through technology transfer, industry participation, submarine design and construction expertise and self sufficiency in support through life is invaluable.

This would not have been achieved if, as some have suggested, we had bought a lower risk but less capable off-the-shelf design made for operation in strategic circumstances totally different to Australia’s.

These are the facts Australia and the world should be hearing.

Of course, what has been achieved has only been possible with the encouragement and support of the South Australian Government and people.

The people of this State have come to look upon this project as their own, and quite justifiably, take considerable pride in what has been done.

12 years ago, this area where we are now gathered was open, reclaimed land, similar to the area on the other side of the road you passed on your way here today.

It is now the site of the most modern submarine construction facility in the world.

It is only when we see the extent and scale of the buildings and workshops that resulted in this magnificent submarine now before us that the scale of the undertaking and the magnitude of this project are apparent.

Finally, I would like to close by again paying tribute to all the men and women of the workforce who are responsible for bringing SHEEAN to the state where, today, she is ready to be launched.

It is only through your combined skills, effort and dedication that this achievement has occurred.

It is a remarkable accomplishment and one of which every one of you should be very rightly proud.