Australia: No commitment to 4th destroyer

The Federal Government has still not committed itself to building a fourth air warfare destroyer in South Australia.

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer yesterday said the Government had not yet decided whether defence funding would be spent on building another ship.

The construction of a fourth ship would extend the duration of the project by about three years and would guarantee future long-term jobs in SA.

"We'll obviously have to make our mind up, as time goes on, on the basis of defence requirements," Mr Downer said.

Read more