- Lead on capability approval decisions through National Security Committee and National Security Investment Subcommittee, as directed
- Support the Deputy Prime Minister in delivering the National Defence Strategy by delivering the Integrated Investment Program and Defence Industry Development Strategy
- Lead management of capability acquisition and sustainment projects, including the Projects of Concern and Projects of Interest process
- With the Deputy Prime Minister, reform Defence’s capability development and acquisition processes, including establishment of the Defence Delivery Agency
- Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator
- With the Deputy Prime Minister, drive the capability and industrial outcomes for AUKUS (Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States) partnership
- Australian Defence Export Office
- Australian Defence Strategic Sales Office
- Australian Industry Capability Program
- Australian industry engagement on the Defence Industry Security Program
- Capability disposals
- Defence engagement with the Pacific and Timor-Leste
- Global supply chains
- Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise
- Drive the continuous growth of the sovereign defence industrial base, including industry policy and engagement, and in support of a Future Made in Australia
- International engagement on defence industry matters, including industrial base collaboration
- With the Deputy Prime Minister, drive progress on Defence’s naval shipbuilding enterprise
- Office of Defence Industry Support
- Science and technology engagement with industry and international partners
- Test and evaluation policy and procedures
Designation
Minister for Defence Industry
Minister for Pacific Island Affairs
Media contacts
General enquiries
Designation
Minister for Defence Industry
Minister for Pacific Island Affairs
Minister profile
The Hon. Pat Conroy MP is the Minister for Defence Industry, Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, and the Federal Member for Shortland.
Pat was elected to the House of Representatives as the Member for Charlton, New South Wales in 2013 and, following an electoral redistribution, as the Member for Shortland, New South Wales in 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2025.
From 2016 to 2019, Pat was Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy and Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure. In 2019, he was appointed Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Shadow Minister Assisting for Defence and Shadow Minister Assisting for Climate Change and Energy.
From 2008 to 2013, he was Principal Policy Adviser and then Deputy Chief of Staff to the Hon. Greg Combet, AM, MP, who served as a Minister in the Rudd and Gillard Labor Governments. In these roles, Pat worked in developing significant policies in areas including Defence Materiel, Defence Science and Industry and Innovation.
Born in 1979, Pat was raised on the NSW Central Coast and went on to study Economics at the University of Sydney, graduating with Honours in 2000.
Pat is married with 2 children and lives in his electorate of Shortland which covers the Eastern Lake Macquarie area and the Northern Central Coast. He enjoys cooking, playing rugby union and watching rugby league.