Media releases

Government boosts response to drone threats

The Albanese Government is accelerating efforts to develop cutting-edge counter-drone technology, teaming with industry to drive innovation, while also updating Defence regulations to keep Australians safe. A new industry panel has been established to advise Defence and other Australian Government…

A new age of airspace authority begins at Tindal

Assistant Minister for Defence, Peter Khalil, will today officially open the new MQ-4C Triton facilities at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory, marking a major milestone for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and delivering a significant boost to Australia’s air and maritime surveillance…

Huge jobs boost for Western Sydney with $500M investment from Albanese Government

More than 2,000 jobs will be created in Western Sydney following a $508 million investment from the Albanese Government in two major capital works projects that are critical to Australia’s national security. The two projects – part of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) plan – include…

MC-55A Peregrine: a first-of-type capability strengthening Australia's Defence

The first of four MC-55A Peregrine – Australia’s inaugural airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare (ISREW) aircraft – has arrived, marking a major milestone in strengthening the nation’s sovereign defence capability. The Albanese Government is pleased to announce…

Local defence manufacturing industry receives funding boost

More than $17 million has been allocated to 44 Australian businesses in the latest rounds of the Defence Industry Development Grants (DIDG) program. This new round brings the current total grant allocation to more than $51 million awarded through the program to date across four delivery streams:…

Merry Christmas to our Defence personnel

As 2025 comes to a close, on behalf of all our Parliamentary colleagues and the people of Australia, we extend our deep gratitude and warm wishes to the serving members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and their families for another year of exemplary service.  This Christmas we thank all…

Exercise Christmas Hop supports far north Queensland communities

Exercise Christmas Hop 2025 has brought Christmas cheer to some of Queensland’s most remote communities, helping children and families celebrate the festive season. The annual initiative reflects Defence’s commitment to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and sharing…

World War II aircraft located in Papua New Guinea

After 82 years, the wreckage of a Royal Australian Air Force Beaufort aircraft lost during a World War II mission has been located in the rugged Baining Mountains of East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea. This discovery ends more than eight decades of uncertainty for families of the…

Investing in the future of Australian Air Mission Training

The Albanese Government is investing more than $300 million to transform air mission training, ensuring our Defence personnel are ready for the challenges of tomorrow. The Future Air Mission Training System (F-AMTS) will increase Defence’s aircrew training capacity by up to 70 per cent, using…

Funding boost for Australian-made Ghost Bat

The Albanese Government will invest approximately $1.4 billion to advance collaborative air capabilities, transitioning the MQ-28A Ghost Bat into a fully operational war fighting asset for the Australian Defence Force. The Government today confirmed a major milestone: the Australian-designed and…

Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations

  Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles and Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong will travel to Washington DC for the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) on 8 December.  They will meet with their counterparts US Secretary of War Pete…

Travel to Japan

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, will travel to Japan from 6 – 7 December to meet with his counterpart, Minister of Defense, Koizumi Shinjiro. Australia and Japan share a rich history, shaped by decades of peaceful engagement and cooperation. Our relationship is…