All releases

New legislation to unlock billions of dollars for AUKUS industry partners

The Albanese Government will unlock billions of dollars in investment and cut red tape for Australian Defence industry and our AUKUS partners, with the introduction of the Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill 2023. Under the legislation introduced today, Australia’s existing trade controls will…

National Press Club Address, Canberra

SUBJECTS: AUKUS agreement and acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines; defence budget, infrastructure, Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty, government portfolios, export control legislation, nuclear power, submarines, bipartisan US support for AUKUS, Pacific Island workers. SPEAKER: Today at…

Address to the National Press Club

Acknowledgements I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the land we meet on and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. As Minister for Defence Industry, I also pay my respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men…

Announcement of continuous naval shipbuilding at Henderson, WA

JOSH WILSON: Okay. [Indistinct]. Good morning. It’s great to be here in the federal electorate of Fremantle in the City of Cockburn in Henderson at the Australian Marine Complex at Austal. It’s brilliant to have with me my friend and colleague Pat Conroy, the Minister for Defence Industry, and Paul…

Securing continuous Naval Shipbuilding at Henderson Shipyard in Western Australia

The Albanese Government is securing Australia’s shipbuilding capability and investing in Western Australian defence industry through a new strategic partnership between Defence and Austal Limited at Henderson Shipyard. The Defence Strategic Review observed that there was not enough work to sustain…

Guardian-class Patrol Boat delivered to Samoa

Today Samoa formally received the Guardian-class Patrol Boat, the Nafanua III, handed over by the Australian Government. The Nafanua III was officially received by the Hon Harry Jeffrey, Minister for Police and Prisons and Auapaau Logotino Filipo, Police Commissioner on behalf of the Samoan…

A $2 billion Navy maintenance contract boosts jobs and national security

The Albanese Government is supporting almost a thousand defence industry jobs and strengthening national security, with a new $2 billion contract to maintain and sustain Australia’s naval fleet in Sydney. Thales Australia has been appointed as the Regional Maintenance Provider for the new Regional…

Albanese Government signs information security agreement with European partners

The Albanese Government has strengthened Australia’s ties with European partners by signing the Security Agreement on the Protection of Classified Information with the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation, known by its French acronym, OCCAR.  Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Richard Marles MP…

Visit to the Republic of Korea and Indonesia

This week I will travel to the Republic of Korea for the Republic of Korea–United Nations Command Member States Defence Ministerial Meeting, and to Indonesia to attend the 10th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus. The meeting in Seoul will be hosted by the Republic of Korea’s Minister of National…

Australian support for the 2023 Pacific Games

Australia is supporting Solomon Islands to host a safe and successful 2023 Pacific Games through our $17 million Pacific Games Partnership and additional personnel deployments, at the request of the Solomon Islands Government. The 2023 Pacific Games is one of the region’s biggest events, bringing…

Visit to the United States for the Honolulu Leadership Dialogue

Tonight I will travel to the United States as head of Australia’s delegation to the Honolulu Leadership Dialogue from 25–28 October. The Honolulu Leadership Dialogue brings together senior Australian and US defence officials, parliamentarians, security experts and industry leaders to discuss the…

Australian Government working with industry to assure Collins class submarine

The Australian Government is committed to a potent, enduring and agile submarine capability, and will use an independent assurance activity to inform the life-of-type extension of the Collins class submarine fleet. Australia’s transition to conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines is…