Morrison Government invests in upgrade of Headquarters Joint Operations Command to support increase in personnel

Joint media release

• Minister for Defence Industry, The Hon Melissa Price MP
   

The Morrison Government will invest more than $31 million in the first tranche of a two tranche project that will provide additional infrastructure for Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC) in Bungendore, near Canberra, to support the doubling of the facility’s original capacity.

Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said HQJOC and its supporting infrastructure must expand to accommodate a significant increase in personnel needed to plan and conduct operations on a daily basis, in Australia and abroad.

“HQJOC is not only key for the defence of Australia, but also the protection of our borders in these challenging geostrategic times,” Minister Reynolds said.

“We have seen the vital role HQJOC played in the Australian Government’s response to the Black Summer bushfires and COVID-19. This investment will improve the facility’s capacity to support the Australian Defence Force’s response to domestic and international crises.

“When the expansion is complete, HQJOC will house up to 1,400 personnel, doubling its capacity from when it was originally built in 2008, to cater for increasingly complex multi-domain operations including cyber and space.

“This increase in the number of personnel based at HQJOC over the coming years will provide a significant boost to the local Bungendore economy on an ongoing basis.”

The 2020 Defence Strategic Update and the 2020 Force Structure Plan announced by the Prime Minister and Minister Reynolds will strengthen the ADF’s capabilities to respond to an increasingly challenging strategic environment.

“The upgrades at HQJOC will make the ADF more capable for the wide range of potential scenarios and threats Australia will face in the future,” Minister Reynolds said.

Minister for Defence Industry, Melissa Price, said this investment will support our commitment to maximise local industry involvement in Defence projects.

“This first tranche of works extends out to mid-2022 and will provide a valuable opportunity for small businesses in Bungendore and Queanbeyan. The project will support construction jobs and ensure economic benefits flow to a region that has seen its share of recent challenges,” Minister Price said.

“Up to 130 workers will be employed during the peak of construction.  This construction work will align with the Morrison Government’s COVID-19 economic recovery efforts.

“Defence will leverage existing contract arrangements to expedite these works and ensure local industry content is maximised.”

Works on the project are expected to commence in August this year and will include the delivery of security accreditation works, a 1.9 megawatt solar farm, a car park upgrade, and site preparation works ahead of the next tranche of work that is expected to commence in 2022.