BlueScope Steel has won a $20 million contract to supply steel for three new Navy destroyers.
On his first visit to the Illawarra as Prime Minister today, Kevin Rudd announced that BlueScope Steel had won the contract to supply steel to the Air Warfare Destroyer Program.
Mr Rudd was joined by Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon to make the announcement at the Port Kembla steelworks.
Wollongong student makes Kevin Rudd chuckle SLIDESHOW: Kevin Rudd visits WollongongThe commitment to build three Hobart class air warfare destroyers was announced in the defence white paper last week.
"BlueScope Steel is an Australian company with a proud and long heritage and has beaten the world to win the contract to supply steel to the air warfare destroyer project,'' Mr Rudd said.
"It will support jobs in the Illawarra.
"This is Australian steel for Australian ships for Australia's defence. That's what we're here today to celebrate."
Listen to Kevin Rudd make the announcement in Port Kembla
Mr Rudd said 3000 tonnes of Port Kembla steel would be used in each ship.
The destroyers will be the most advanced ships to be operated by the Navy, and will be commissioned between 2014 and 2017.
Mr Rudd said BlueScope had indicated it welcomed the government's announcement of a slower start to the emissions trading scheme, which was now due to start in July 2011 instead of a year earlier.
"The government has great confidence in the industry's future and the company's future,'' he said.
"We'll continue to work through a range of issues with the company.''
After making the BlueScope announcement, Mr Rudd chaired a jobs forum in Wollongong Town Hall.
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