Media releases

Defence and Veterans' Service Commissioner Bill passes Parliament

Today marks an important milestone in the Albanese Government’s implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.  The Parliament has passed the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner Bill 2025 and the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner…

Defence estate community consultation sessions begin

Community consultation sessions will begin in Tasmania next week as part of the Albanese Government’s nationwide response to the independent Defence Estate Audit.  The Audit, delivered in 2023 by Ms Jan Mason and Mr Jim Miller, undertook a comprehensive review of Australia’s Defence estate –…

First Australian-built Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles roll off assembly line

The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to deliver capabilities to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) at pace with the first batch of Australian‑built Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV) already rolling off the assembly line. The first seven Boxers built at Rheinmetall…

Australia and Germany to closely cooperate on guided weapons components

The Albanese Government has taken a major step toward establishing domestic manufacturing of priority components for anti-ship cruise missiles, delivering another important boost to the nation’s guided weapons capability. Today, the Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy MP and German…

Visit to Australia by Germany's Minister of Defence

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, and Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, will today welcome the Federal Minister of Defence of Germany, Boris Pistorius, to Canberra for his first official visit to Australia. Australia and Germany are close friends with a…

Australia-European Union Security and Defence Partnership

Australia and the European Union are strengthening cooperation through a new Security and Defence Partnership. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced the Australia‑European Union Security and Defence Partnership in Canberra today…

STEM scholarships to propel nuclear submarine program

The Albanese Government has today launched the Propel: Australian Submarine Scholarship program, a $15.8 million initiative to support the development of Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarine workforce. Propel will offer up to 3,000 scholarships to students studying in priority STEM fields…

Australia-New Zealand Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations (ANZMIN 2+2)

Today we will host New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters MP and Defence Minister Judith Collins KC MP for our annual Australia-New Zealand Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations (ANZMIN 2+2) in Canberra. These dialogues are an opportunity to shape our cooperation to respond to the…

Albanese Government invests $176 million in new fleet of Australian-made uncrewed vessels

The Albanese Government will strengthen Australia’s maritime security with a $176 million investment to deliver 40 new Australian-designed and built Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessels (USV) – one of the world’s largest sovereign USV fleets. Announced today, the contract with Ocius Technology…

Travel to Indonesia

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, will travel to Jakarta, Indonesia this week for a Defence Ministers’ Meeting with Indonesian Minister of Defence, His Excellency Gen (ret) Dr Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin. Indonesia is one of Australia’s closest and most important partners. Our…

Australia to provide defensive military assistance to Gulf

Iran’s reprisal attacks continue to escalate, already at a scale and depth we have not seen before; 12 countries in the region are continuing to be targeted.  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) alone has been forced to shoot down over 1,500 rockets and drones. This growing wave of dangerous…

Design contract signals decisive step in Henderson Defence Precinct consolidation

The Albanese Government has taken the next step in establishing a consolidated defence precinct at Henderson to support sovereign shipbuilding and sustainment in Western Australia. Bechtel Infrastructure Australia (Bechtel) has been appointed as the design services consultancy to undertake master…