Joel Fitzgibbon admits 'challenge' manning Collins-class submarines

Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has admitted there are serious problems in manning the Collins-class submarines and says the government is working hard to retain the crews it already has.

Mr Fitzgibbon was speaking after The Australian revealed warnings contained in a confidential defence report which said the submarine fleet was in danger of becoming unsustainable because of a chronic shortfall of qualified sailors.

"Our people and skills shortage is the single biggest challenge facing the Australian Defence Force in the coming decades,'' Mr Fitzgibbon told ABC Radio.

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