The Hon Dan Tehan MP
15 Dec 17
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Related ministers and contacts
The Hon Dan Tehan MP
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
Minister for Defence Personnel
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cyber Security
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
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- Byron Vale (Minister Tehan’s Office) 0428 262 894
- Defence Media (02) 6127 1999
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17 May 2017
Minister for Defence Personnel Dan Tehan said Ex-HMAS Sydney would leave Sydney Harbour today to be towed to Western Australia for recycling by Australian company Birdon Pty Ltd.
“Ex-HMAS Sydney had an illustrious career during her 32 years in service with the Royal Australian Navy,” Mr Tehan said.
“The Adelaide Class Frigate was involved in operations spanning the Middle East, East Timor, Fiji and the Solomon Islands and earned a Meritorius Unit Citation during the First Gulf War in 1991.
“She was built at the Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, Washington, USA, and commissioned there on 29 January 1983.
“The former Sydney was decommissioned from the Royal Australian Navy on 7 November 2015 to make way for the Hobart class guided missile destroyers, which will provide Australia with an improved war fighting capability.”
Ex-HMAS Sydney’s journey from Sydney to the Common User Facility at Henderson, Western Australia, will take up to 22 days.
Sydney had been offered to States and Territories for use as a dive wreck, however, there was no interest in the ship, so the Government decided to recycle her by scrapping.