How AN AUKUS Injection Will Redefine Rockingham & Baldivis
We sat down with the US and UK Consul Generals and the Royal Navy to get the unfiltered facts on jobs, housing, and the future of our city.
By Wade McColl (18/02/2026)
(L-R): Cr Balian Miller, Cr Peter Hudson, Michael Parker CEO City of Rockingham, Captain Shaun Southwood Royal Navy, Rob McGavin President RKCC, Sue Hassey CEO RKCC, Mayor Lorna Buchan, Cr David Rudman, Steve Birmingham Deputy US Consul Genera, Maria Rennie UK Consul General, & Cr Mike Crichton. Photo by Wade McColl, Baldivis Times 2026.
The morning sun was hitting the glass at Martini + Co on Syren Street as I walked in yesterday. We arrived twenty minutes early, greeted by the warm smile of Niamh Koch, the Administration Officer for the Rockingham Kwinana Chamber of Commerce (RKCC).
Inside, the room was already buzzing. This wasn’t the usual networking chatter about business cards and coffee. The 115 business owners, council members, and community leaders in attendance knew that something massive was shifting.
We were there to hear from the heavy hitters: Mayor Lorna Buchan, UK Consul General Maria Rennie, US Deputy Consul General Steve Birmingham, and Captain Shaun “Coco” Southwood of the Royal Navy.
I went into this room with one goal: to cut through the noise and find out exactly what this “AUKUS” deal means for the families and businesses of Baldivis and Rockingham.
Steve Birmingham Deputy US Consul General. Photo by Wade McColl, Baldivis Times 2026.
The $8 Billion Wave
The headline figure dropped by US Deputy Consul General Steve Birmingham was staggering. Over the next decade, AUKUS-related projects are set to inject $8 billion directly into the Western Australian economy.
But where is that money going?
According to the briefing, HMAS Stirling is about to undergo a massive expansion to host Submarine Rotational Force West (SRF-West). This isn’t just about parking submarines; it’s about building an entire support ecosystem.
3,000 Jobs will be created just for the infrastructure upgrades at the base.
500 Permanent Jobs will be established specifically for the maintenance of US and UK submarines.
10,000 Skilled Jobs are projected across the broader WA defense sector.
Steve Birmingham reminded us that Fremantle was once the second-largest submarine base for the US Navy after Pearl Harbor. Rockingham is now stepping into those historical shoes, but on a much more permanent scale.
Captain Shaun Southwood Royal Navy. Photo by Wade McColl, Baldivis Times 2026.
“We Don’t Want a Little Britain”
Perhaps the most important message for local business owners came from Captain Shaun Southwood of the Royal Navy.
There has been a fear that international defense giants would come in, set up shop, and lock local businesses out. Captain Southwood, who has been living on HMAS Stirling for three weeks (and admitted to getting lost in Rockingham Centre for an hour!), shut that down.
“We don’t plan to create a ‘Little Britain,’” he told the room. “We want local firms to support us rather than bringing UK firms over.”
He dropped a critical piece of intel for local tradies and engineers: 90% of the maintenance work required on the incoming Astute-class nuclear submarines is identical to the work already performed on Australia’s Collins-class submarines.
If you are a local fabricator, electrician, engineer, or logistics provider, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You are likely already qualified to bid for this work.
Mayor Lorna Buchan. Photo by Wade McColl, Baldivis Times 2026.
The Population Boom & The Housing Squeeze
While the economic news is exciting, the reality of our housing market cannot be ignored.
Mayor Lorna Buchan addressed this head-on, unveiling details of the newly approved City Centre Plan. The strategy is bold: it creates a framework for 16,000 new dwellings and a population increase of 30,000 residents right in the heart of the Rockingham City Centre.
“For local businesses, a denser City Centre means more customers, more foot traffic, and a stronger day and night economy,” Mayor Buchan said.
However, the immediate influx is coming sooner than that. By 2030, we expect around 1,200 US and UK personnel and their families to be living in our suburbs.
Maria Rennie UK Consul General. Photo by Wade McColl, Baldivis Times 2026.
UK Consul General Maria Rennie acknowledged the strain this places on a community. “We are working with you to channel investment into healthcare, education, housing, and roads,” she said, citing lessons learned from UK defense towns like Barrow-in-Furness.
Outside of the Key Leaders in Business venue, Martini + CO, featuring a RKCC car. Photo by Wade McColl, Baldivis Times 2026.
What You Need To Do Now
This transformation is happening. The submarines are coming, starting with rotational visits and moving toward a sovereign Australian fleet in the 2030s.
For the families of Baldivis and Rockingham, this means opportunity, but it also means we need to speak up about our infrastructure needs.
The State Government has established an AUKUS Community Taskforce to gather feedback on how this growth will impact our roads, schools, and hospitals. There is a public survey open right now, and it closes on March 3.
I strongly encourage every one of you to have your say. You can find the survey on the minimal government website.
(L-R): Michael Parker CEO City of Rockingham, Captain Shaun Southwood Royal Navy, Rob McGavin President RKCC, Wade McColl Founder and Director Baldivis Times, Sue Hassey CEO RKCC, Mayor Lorna Buchan, Maria Rennie UK Consul General, Steve Birmingham Deputy US Consul General. Photo by Myah Loo, Baldivis Times 2026.
Final Thoughts
Leaving the breakfast, I shook hands with business owners who were visibly excited, but also cautious. The path ahead is profitable, but it will be busy.
As your local independent journalist, I will keep showing up to these rooms. I will keep learning about where the money is going, who is getting the jobs, and how our community is being looked after.
Thank you for trusting the Baldivis Times to bring you the news that matters.
Wade McColl