Australian sea security and competitive shipbuilding

Australia wanted to retain a capital ship as its flagship and to build up its own naval forces. Competition among multiple shipyards made large warships more affordable than a comparison with modern single-supplier carrier construction suggests. The sea formed Australia's defensive depth, while its widely separated population centres could not easily support one another. Maritime trade was also central to its economy. These conditions gave Australia a direct interest in both local naval strength and unrestricted cruiser numbers, and helped explain its support for Britain's negotiating position.