The third ship was laid down as HMS Phaeton but acquired by the Australian government before completion and commissioned as HMAS Sydney. Australia and New Zealand sought cruisers rather than racing to buy battleships because they needed naval presence across a wide region. A cruiser could patrol distant sea lanes, escort traffic, and represent naval power economically. A battleship concentrated greater combat power but could not be in multiple places or cover routine maritime tasks as efficiently. Sydney's purchase reflected the same global-cruiser logic that shaped Royal Navy planning, adapted to Australian geography and trade dependence. The procurement choice followed directly from the strategic needs of a maritime dominion.
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Why Australia acquired Sydney from the slipway
Australia acquired the future HMAS Sydney before completion because cruisers offered the reach and presence needed to defend a maritime nation and its trade.