Warbird Information Exchange

THE man who found the HMAS Sydney off Western Australia said he would submit a proposal to locate the hospital ship Centaur.

But David L. Mearns, who heads UK-based Blue Water Recoveries, could face competition from Australians involved in the HMAS Sydney project, including deep-water oil and gas pipeline firms.

Explorers have until January 23 to respond to an advertisement for a project manager, a post expected to be filled next month.

Centaur was torpedoed off the Brisbane Coast in 1943 by a Japanese submarine, with the loss of 268 lives.

Hundreds of families across Australia have waited years for the war grave to be discovered.

The Queensland Government has defended a steering committee overseeing the $4 million project .

Acting Premier Paul Lucas yesterday defended the joint Commonwealth-Queensland committee overseeing the hunt.

"I would expect that the steering committee in due course will talk with various stakeholders and members of the community," he said.

"(But) this is a very complex task. You've got to actually have a steering committee to set out a plan. I'm very keen for us to work with people who are interested ... the best thing we can do for the families is to find the Centaur."

Federal MP Peter Slipper said the state had been "extraordinarily clumsy" in not including people with family ties to the Centaur.

"This kind of secrecy seems entirely inappropriate. It is quite bizarre," he said. "There needs to be a sense of openness, transparency and community involvement and ownership."

The State Government has refused to identify committee members and held its first meeting behind closed doors.

Mr Slipper said it was a "no brainer" that committee members should be identified and at least the names and qualifications of the project manager applicants revealed.

Some Queensland members of the Centaur Association want at least one association member on the committee.

They are at odds with association committee members in southern states - including its president and secretary - who are happy with "observer status".

Senior Queensland bureaucrat Anthony Crack is chairing the steering committee but is not available for interviews.

Centaur is believed to be about 20 nautical miles east-northeast of North Stradbroke Island although some put the position east of Cape Moreton.