Minister for Defence - Projects of Concern summit held in Canberra

Today I have participated in a series of meetings with senior Department of Defence officials and Defence industry representatives to discuss projects on the Projects of Concern list.

This Government recognises the significant value to our nation of having a skilled defence industry and we are committed to working closely together to bring about a safer and more secure Australia.

The purpose of these meetings is to ensure there is attention from Government, Defence and industry to remediate projects.

Together we will work to get these projects back on track. The Government remains committed to getting the best equipment for our Australian Defence Force personnel at the best price for the taxpayer.

Discussions focused on developing remediation plans that address the issues facing each project and bring them to a successful conclusion.

Australia’s defence capability is a testament to the partnership between the Australian Defence Force and Australia’s defence industry that delivers world standard systems and technologies.

Australian defence companies continue to rise to the challenge of finding innovative solutions for the new challenges faced by the Australian Defence Force. It is also encouraging that our defence industry has responded positively to the Australian Government’s request to identify ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Defence and Industry today agreed to undertake the necessary actions to get the projects back on track in the short term and a future summit will focus on progress against the agreed actions.

There are currently six projects on the Projects of Concern list, with a total combined value of $12.8 billion. 

The current Projects of Concern list is as follows:

Media contacts:

Brad Rowswell (Minister Andrews’ Office) 0417 917 796

Defence Media: (02) 6127 1999