Port Kembla nuclear sub base labelled a 'job killer' and 'terrorist honeypot'

The unions' peak body, the South Coast Labour Council, has been opposed to the idea from the start and has now attacked head-on the claim that the base would generate thousands of jobs.

The SCLC said uncertainty over the base would risk the expansion of manufacturing and renewable energy industries, and the real purpose was to give visiting US nuclear vessels a safe haven.

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It said the US Navy had vetoed a nuclear submarine visiting New York City because of the danger to the dense population and risk of terrorist attack.

This refers to a 1979 incident reported in the Washington Post which pointed out the US expects its allies to allow submarine visits.

A submarine base is instead located 200km up the coast from New York City in New London, Connecticut, which Member for Cunningham Alison Byrnes visited recently.

SCLC secretary Arthur Rorris said the US policy hadn't changed in 40 years.

"If it's too dangerous in New York, why are those risks acceptable here?" he said.

Jobs unlikely for many locals

He poured scorn on the claim a submarine base would create thousands of jobs for the Illawarra, saying specialists would be brought from the US and UK to work on nuclear vessels.

"If are talking about the nuclear submarines that may or may not be built in 20 or 30 years, why do we need a submarine base now?" Mr Rorris said.

"Why alienate land from productive uses? We're on the cusp of thousands of jobs in the renewables sector. Why would we risk those jobs by restricting access?

"The real agenda is about having a base for foreign nuclear vessels in Australia.

"They're not going to get anyone in Australia to work on it - seriously, the only jobs we might get out of this is they might let us build the perimeter fence, to lock locals out of the port."

Byrnes self-funded trip to US base in Connecticut

Ms Byrnes has not declared her position for or against the potential base in Port Kembla and said two vital reviews are due to be completed in coming months.

"I would need to see the full detail of a proposal for Port Kembla and consider its implications for jobs, investment and other aspirations for the region and discuss it with our community before I formed a judgement on it," she said.

Ms Byrnes said her trip to New London was before she participated in an International Visitors Leadership Program funded by the US Department of State, along with nine other MPs and senators in mid-January.

"I visited Naval Submarine Base New London with my colleague (NT Labor MP) Luke Gosling ... prior to the program. The visit to New London was separate to the IVLP program and flights, accommodation and hire cars between the program and the base were self-funded.

"I had never seen a submarine base before and wanted to find out more about them and the interaction of the facility and its staff with the surrounding community.

"I had the opportunity to meet with local community leaders, including the mayors of New London and Groton [where the US base is located]."