ADM 30 Under 30 Awards

I’ll begin by to acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet today, the Ngunnawal people.

I pay my respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.

I also pay my respects to all those who have served in our nation’s uniform in the past and continue to do so today.

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s a pleasure to join you for tonight’s awards.

Congratulations to Australian Defence Magazine for once again celebrating the enormous contribution of passionate and talented young people who are working to contribute to the defence of our nation.

The talent, energy and commitment in this room inspires me with confidence for the future of Australia.

Our national security community is seriously brimming with talent, and the future will be in good hands.

Over the last four years as the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, it’s been proven to me time and time again that our people are our greatest capability.

It is individuals, with their expertise, insight and tenacity, who are the foundation of the Australian Defence Force.

This expertise comes with courage, humility and a dedication to do what’s asked in service to the nation.

It is the commitment to being part of the team, to being part of something much bigger than one’s self, which defines our defence force and makes it infinitely stronger.

Every time someone makes the choice to serve the nation, or support those who serve, they put the needs of the nation and our security before themselves.

This includes those who support our defence mission through policy, research and development, technology innovation, manufacturing, supply, health and intelligence, and many more areas.

Each individual contribution adds to our collective understanding of the challenges we face…

… the ways we can combat threats, build our sovereign defence capability, and work for peace and security.

The breadth, depth and complexity of skills we need in the ADF are growing.

The Defence enterprise has moved beyond the traditional domains of sea, land and air.

Just last month, I announced one (more) “small” step to bolster national security and contribute to our growing our defence capabilities in the emerging domain of space…

Australians can now apply directly to space operation roles in the ADF.

This is a recognition of how fast defence and defence industry is moving to ensure the ADF is stronger, more integrated, with greater focus and capability.

These roles will grow the ADF’s capabilities in space operations – a critical domain as we respond to the most challenging strategic environment since the Second World War.
  
Growing and upskilling our workforce is critical – as critical as strategy and smart capability acquisition.

We’re making inroads.

In the last financial year separation from the ADF fell to just 7.9% - the lowest in over a decade and a massive drop from the 11.2% separation rate we inherited coming to Government, when the size of the ADF was going backwards.

We’ve also turned around what was a Defence recruitment crisis.

In the 2024-25 financial year, more than 7,050 people joined the ADF and Gap Year Program, the highest intake in 15 years.

We’re seeing more people joining Defence and more people sticking around longer – this is great news for our Defence capability.

This year the Albanese Government will release the updated National Defence Strategy, Integrated Investment Program and the next iterations of the Defence Industry Development Strategy and the Defence Workforce Plan.

And the creation of the Defence Delivery Agency – the biggest reform to Defence in more than fifty years - will drive stronger contestability, more accurate cost estimation, and clearer accountability for the delivery of major projects.

We are proud of our record investment in Defence, but that record funding comes with the need to ensure that Defence continues to demonstrate value for money.

We want greater accountability in defence acquisition, and to do that we are giving the DDA certainty and autonomy in managing its budget.

Over time, this approach will allow the DDA to attract the best and brightest from the private sector to complement the strong public sector expertise that already resides in the three delivery groups being integrated into the DDA.

With the record investment in defence - an additional $70 billion over the decade to 2034-35 - very importantly, last financial year, almost 80 per cent of the defence budget was spent in Australia.

And direct employment in the defence sector continues to grow.

This is about a Future Made in Australia, by Australians for Australia.

And that means all of you.

Tonight’s finalists are not just being recognised for their work in the ADF, defence industry and national security…

…they have also had to prove their skills as leaders.

In the room with us tonight are representatives from defence industry giants, like Babcock, Hanwha, Thales, Saab, Boeing and BAE…

…and smaller enterprises, many home grown.

Industry partners like Coras and CEA Technologies, just to name a few, who utilise the leadership, teamwork, agility, and ability to work under pressure honed through service in the ADF.

Ex-service personnel bring an incredible skillset to civilian work.

Through their time serving in the ADF they have built skills and expertise that are almost impossible to replicate elsewhere.

This unique combination makes our veterans an incredible asset in all kinds of diverse settings – to create the future of defence, to lead, to innovate and to strategise.

More specifically when they turn their hand to developing defence capabilities, those who have worn the uniform, are now working to equip the next generation of Defence personnel.

In some instances they are literally building the capabilities they wish they had.

The bottom line is, the more people invested in protecting our nation the better.

The more of the best and brightest we attract, from school leavers to veterans, the strategy minds, the innovation minds and the project management minds, combining courage and brain power, wisdom and experience, blue-sky thinking and deep thought on the existential challenges of our age – the safer we all are.

Every single one of you is making a significant impact in “growing the pie” of our national security offering.

People are the foundation of this great enterprise.

No matter where and how you make your contribution to the nation – in uniform, the public service, or Defence industry – your work and your commitment is the heartbeat of the defence ecosystem….

…the fuel that drives the machine, the source of excellence and strength that makes the ADF what it is today – and also what it is fast becoming in order to meet the challenges of an unknown future.

At the end of the day, it’s what’s in here that makes the capability difference.

Congratulations to all of you – you are exceptional people giving your all in the service of our nation.

Thank you.