Television Interview, 9 News Perth Afternoons

SUBJECTS: Land Forces 2026; Western Australia; Defence Industry; Corporal Brendan Hannam

MONIKA KOS, HOST: Good afternoon to you, Deputy Prime Minister. Now it is an extraordinary event with some of the world's great tech and defence innovations. What specific capability gaps is the Albanese Government looking to address here?

RICHARD MARLES, ACTING PRIME MINISTER: Well, this is an incredible event. There are 964 exhibitors from 31 countries around the world. Two hundred and six of those exhibitions are international, the rest obviously from Australia. And during the course of the next three days we expect around 15,000 people to attend Land Forces. This is a display of the very best of Australia's defence industry and in fact the very best of Land Forces capability that can be found anywhere in the world. We are certainly looking at making sure that our Defence Force, specifically the Australian Army, is very much at the cutting edge in terms of the technology and equipment that we use, the equipment that we have to give our soldiers the very best, but also to make sure that they are protected in the best way as well. And so we're very much looking forward to seeing what's on offer here.

KOS: What is the benefit of having this trade show in Perth? What role will our state have in the future strategy?

MARLES: Well, I think increasingly we are seeing Western Australia very much at the geo strategic heart of our nation, where we are seeing the area that we need to operate in, really being accessed through Western Australia. In many ways, we are here in Western Australia at the front door, Australia's front door to the world. And I think that's what's so important to understand about the significance of WA. We see that in lots of ways and across a number of the services. Obviously we are seeing it through the establishment of the Submarine Rotation Force – West at HMAS Stirling from the end of next year, the establishment of the Henderson Defence Precinct. But we do see it in the context of our land capability. One of the major components of our Special Forces resides here in Perth at Campbell Barracks, the SAS. And so WA is really central our efforts in securing the country. It's very important in terms of our defence industry. Increasingly we are seeing defence ndustry growing up here in WA and providing a whole lot of jobs, ultimately thousands of jobs for this state.

KOS: Tell us more about that, Minister. Because how much more of the government's increased spending will flow into WA businesses and create opportunities. How will it flow into our state?

MARLES: Well, if you look at the Henderson Defence Precinct, in times that is expected to have 6,000 people working there, you know, in the next, in the coming years, we'll have defence industry employing around 10,000 people in Western Australia. Right now, we are seeing an $8 billion spend in the upgrade of HMAS Stirling in preparation for the Submarine Rotation Force – West. Now, all of that represents the biggest economic diversification in WA that we have seen in decades. And unlike the cyclical nature of commodities and resources, defence industry is constant and enduring. And so I think it's going to play a really important part in the economic life of WA. But equally, Western Australians are playing a really important part in securing the nation.

KOS: Security is being beefed up. What is your message to anti-war activists who plan on protesting this afternoon?

MARLES: Look, I think our focus is not on them. Our focus is on the thousands of people who are attending the Land Forces exhibition. And what's really important to understand about this is that it is defence industry which provides the equipment which keeps our soldiers, our sailors, our aviators safe – enables them to do their job. And their job is fundamentally about keeping Australians safe. Our defence force is at the heart of our national sovereignty and defence industry supports them. And so, you know, this is really important in terms of building our capability. Our capability is important in terms of providing for deterrence, but also providing for the peace and stability of the world, the region that we live in. And so that's actually what's going on here. And this is a very important demonstration of Australian defence industry and how it can support our defence force.

KOS: Now, an Australian Army soldier has died during a training accident at the Northern Territory. Five others have been injured. This is the second death of a soldier this year. How dangerous is military training allowed to be and how strenuously is it reviewed?

MARLES: Well, firstly, you know, today is a very sad day after the tragic event last night which saw the Australian Army lose one of its finest in Corporal Brendan Hannam. Corporal Hannam had been in the Australian Army for nine years. He had been deployed to both Afghanistan and the United Kingdom, where he had participated in the training of new recruits to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He was really a beloved member of the 5^th/7th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment. I have spoken with the Chief of the Defence Force today, we are looking at an appropriate vehicle where we can examine not just this tragedy, but tragedies which have occurred in recent years to look at exactly how all of this is being done. And I think it is important to make sure that we are making our training as safe as can be made - understanding that this is an activity which innately carries risk.

KOS: Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles. Appreciate your time this afternoon.