In a bold move, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy announced a major overhaul of Australia's Defence Department, aiming to address staggering cost blowouts totaling $29 billion over the past decade. Speaking at the National Press Club, Conroy emphasized the need for 'progressive patriotism' to rally support for the controversial AUKUS nuclear submarine pact, while also critiquing the Defence establishment for its lack of discipline in managing projects.
As the Albanese government gears up for its national conference, Conroy's speech highlights the urgency of reforming defence procurement processes. With the establishment of a new Defence Delivery Agency set for next year, the government aims to streamline operations and enhance accountability, ensuring that Australia's military capabilities are not only ambitious but also achievable. The shake-up comes at a time when tensions within the Labor Party regarding AUKUS are palpable, making Conroy's appeal for unity all the more crucial.
‘Progressive patriotism’ central to Pat Conroy's AUKUS pitch to Labor faithful By defence and national security correspondent Tom Lowrey Topic: Federal Government Wed 1 Jul 2026 at 10:32pm Wed 1 Jul 2...
analysis What’s the FUSS about? Military insiders vent over massive upheaval facing Australian Defence A new acronym from military insiders captures the widespread frustration being felt within Canber...
Defence shakeup announced by Federal Government after $29 billion cost blowouts over past 10 years Sweeping changes to the way complicated Australian Defence projects are managed will be unveiled by t...
Australia’s 2026–27 budget commits the federal government to daily spending around A$181.9 million on defence. That headline sits on the cover of our 2026 The cost of Defence report , released today....
ASPI has published The cost of Defence every year since 2002. The series has, year after year, assessed what governments said they would do against what the books showed. It’s the type of scrutiny tha...
Australian official thought regarding the defence of Australia has been more independently minded than is portrayed by certain academics and commentators who, often not possessing a deep understanding...
The time is right for Australia and the United Arab Emirates to deepen their defence relationship. For both countries it would be one of the most substantial partnerships outside existing formal allia...
Decades ago, national security was measured in tanks, fighters and border protection. Today, it is far broader, extending across our digital networks, critical infrastructure, social cohesion and onli...
The Future Defence Estate Audit, released in February, should be considered the beginning of the decision-making process on divestment, not its endpoint. Proposed divestment sites should be assessed t...
Western Australia’s elevation of Defence West to a statutory authority is emblematic of the much larger national debate about how Australia organises power, capability and industry in an era of strate...