Statements

First anniversary of the MRH-90 Taipan Incident

Today, we remember the four Australian Defence Force personnel who lost their lives in the Lindeman Island MRH-90 Taipan incident, on the first anniversary of the crash. On 28 July 2023, an Australian Army MRH90 Taipan helicopter impacted waters near Lindeman Island, Queensland during a night-time…

Joint Statement by the Drone Coalition’s Ministers of Defence

We, nations of the Drone Coalition, recognize the importance of the support for the Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s aggression. To facilitate Ukraine’s military success, we have established the Drone Coalition. Drones are indispensable and play crucial role in the battlefield. Ukraine has a…

2024 NATO Summit

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, will attend elements of the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington DC, United States from 9 – 11 July.  As a non-NATO member, Australia shares a commitment to peace and security with NATO partners, including support for Ukraine…

United States-Japan-Australia Trilateral Defense Ministers' Meeting (TDMM) 2024 Joint Statement

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Japanese Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III convened a Trilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting in Hawaii on May 2, 2024. This was the thirteenth meeting among the defense leaders…

Joint Readout from Australia-Japan-Philippines-United States Defense Ministers' Meeting

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Japanese Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru, the Philippines Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III, met together on May 2 in Hawaii.  This marked the second-ever…

Australia-Republic of Korea 2+2 Joint Statement

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles and Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul and Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik on 1 May 2024 in Melbourne to advance the Australia-Republic of Korea (ROK) Comprehensive…

Cecil set us a gold example

Second Lieutenant Cecil Healy lost his life on the Western Front in 1918. 

AUKUS Defence Ministers’ Joint Statement

The Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Australia; the Right Honourable Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom; and the Honorable Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Defense, United States.​ Just over a year ago, Australia, the United…

Australia-Japan-Philippines-United States Maritime Cooperative Activity

Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and the United States uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, and respect for maritime rights under international law, reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).   Demonstrating our collective commitment to strengthen…

Joint Statement on Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) 2024

On 22 March 2024, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator the Hon Penny Wong and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence the Hon Richard Marles MP hosted the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs the Rt Hon Lord David Cameron and the Secretary of State for…

AUKUS trilateral statement

One year ago, on 13 March 2023 in San Diego, the Leaders of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States announced the Optimal Pathway. The Optimal Pathway outlines an ambitious plan to deliver a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability (SSNs) for the Royal Australian Navy…

Statement on Lance Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon

Today, we lost Lance Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon.  His death is a tragedy. His life has been taken far too early.  Every one of Lance Corporal Fitzgibbon’s friends and colleagues in the Australian Defence Force will be feeling the heaviness of this news today.  Jack loved serving in the…