Politicians and the public can count.
So radically multiplying Australian conventional submarine numbers creates reader interest.
Calls to radically multiply Australian submarine numbers and other weapons, is somewhat traditional - seen in Ross Babbage's 2008 "rip an arm off a giant" with perhaps 300 to 400? F-35s and 20 to 30? submarines.
But if Australia can hardly crew and captain 6 Collins how will we handle the already planned 12, let alone 24 or 36? A more reasonable plan may be 6 conventionally propelled Attack / Shortfin class submarines operating by 2038 followed by 6 nuclear propelled Attack class (aka French Barracuda SSNs) by 2050.
And perhaps the US and UK may be willing to pre-empt any French sale of Barracuda SSNs by offering superior (whole of life fueled reactor) late model Virginia Block V or Astute SSNs respectively.
Pete