Address to the Australian Defence Industry Awards

I begin by acknowledging the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the land we’re meeting on, and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region.

As the Assistant Minister for Defence and the Assistant Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, I also pay my respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women who have served our nation in the past and continue to do so today.

I acknowledge Defence Senior Leaders and leaders from our defence industry ecosystem here tonight. My thanks to the Defence Connect team for the invitation to join you this evening. They do important work keeping industry, Defence and academia connected.

Tonight is an important date in the national defence calendar by any measure.

Not only because there is much to celebrate and applaud. But also because this event comes almost three months to the day since Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles unveiled the most historic transformation of the Australian Defence Force in living memory  when he released the National Defence Strategy and the 2024 Integrated Investment Program.

Both the Defence Strategic Review and the National Defence Strategy made it clear Australia faces the most complex strategic environment since the Second World War.

The challenge we face to uplift our capability, innovation and skills is enormous. It’s why the 2024 Integrated Investment Program involves a complete rebuild of Defence’s capability procurement plan. 

With $330 billion dollars over the decade, including an additional $5.7 billion dollars over the next four years, the 2024 Integrated Investment Program is funded with the largest increase to Defence spending over a forward estimates period in decades. 

With this comes unprecedented opportunities for Australian businesses large and small businesses who can be part of our new integrated, whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach to protecting Australia.

The very industry we are saluting tonight. And the industry we are listening to.

The Australian Government understands we must make it easier for business to work with Defence. We are streamlining processes right now. Making procurement easier whilst not compromising on governance. Our new grants program is much easier to navigate.

Supporting Australian small to medium enterprises to be on the frontline of innovation while also contributing to one or more of the seven Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities that provide our targeted blueprint for action.

We are improving security to enhance trade between our AUKUS partners through legislation which protects our cutting-edge military technologies and our national security.

And export opportunities are being turbocharged through improvements to our Global Supply Chain Program.

I am buoyed by the calibre of Australian defence industry, from the Primes – the industry leaders and mentors – through to small family-run businesses wanting to contribute to our national effort.

Being nominated tonight is a badge of honour. A badge that says you are innovative, you are determined, you are forward looking and you are collaborative.

Many of tonight’s success stories reflect close collaboration between Defence, industry and academia. It’s the kind of collaboration we need to see more of.

And while much of our focus in Defence – quite properly – is in building, maintaining and sustaining the technologies we have today, while fast-tracking the capabilities of tomorrow, people remain at the heart of the industry’s success. 

Tonight is a showcase, right here in the national capital, of the depth of talent in our defence industry.

From the engineers to the academics from the innovators who create the game-changing technologies to the marketing and communication professionals who explain them to the world. 

And they are as diverse as the nation itself, from our rising stars to indigenous and female Defence industry leaders.

A Defence Industry Award signifies the recognition of your peers. And there can no greater accolade.

I wish you all a wonderful night and I look forward to crossing paths with many of you as we work together to secure the future of Australia’s defence.

Thank you.  

ENDS