Shipbuilder cuts first steel in promised rebirth of naval industry

By David Wroe, National Security Correspondent
Updated April 26 2017 - 11:13am, first published 1:28am
The design for Austral's fleet of Pacific patrol boats. Images Austal PPB Photo: Austal PPB
The design for Austral's fleet of Pacific patrol boats. Images Austal PPB Photo: Austal PPB

It's one small step for an Australian shipbuilder, but a giant leap for the country's plans for a major defence industry.