Garden Island naval base faces closure under Kevin Rudd Garden Island going nowhere The Australia Defence Association says Kevin Rudd's proposal to move the Garden Island defence base North is impractical, unfeasible, and will go "nowhere." The plan has also been criticised by NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell, who said on Tuesday that closing the base would devastate the state's economy. Mr O'Farrell said a 2011 review found Garden Island injected $470 million a year into the NSW economy and employed 6700 people, including up to 4000 jobs at the naval base. "My concern today waking up to this news, without any advice beforehand, off the back of a defence review that said 'don't change the current arrangements', is this is going to be devastating for those families whose loved ones work there," he told ABC radio. And it's going to be devastating for the state's economy. Mr O'Farrell said even if Garden Island was used for tourism, it would never support the number of defence and private industry jobs associated with the base. Poll: Are our defence capababilities of more use patrolling our northern borders? Total votes: 5038. Vote now: Garden Island naval base