The Federal Government will invest $875 million in 234 Defence projects across the country as part of its plan to continue to strengthen Australia’s sovereign defence capability.
Making the announcement, Minister for Defence Peter Dutton said the Estate Works Program is expected to create up to 1,660 construction jobs in 2022-23, providing a major economic boost for the communities that host ADF bases and training areas.
“The Defence estate is an important national asset and is an integral part of enabling Defence to meet its force capabilities,” Minister Dutton said.
“Just weeks ago we announced our plans to grow the size of the ADF across the Army, Royal Australian Navy and Air Force, and we know that if we are to attract additional personnel, we need to ensure our facilities are safe and fit for purpose.”
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the move would provide “greater opportunities for Defence contractors across the country”.
“These facilities are often in regional parts of Australia, meaning small and medium businesses in these areas get the chance to play a vital role in the upgrade and maintenance of our Defence facilities,” Minister Price said.
“With our $270 billion investment in Australia’s defence capability, we are going to continue to drive job growth for years to come.”
The projects, which will be released via AusTender in the coming months, will be distributed across the states as follows:
- 79 projects in NSW worth $298 million;
- 41 in Queensland worth $166 million;
- 34 in the Northern Territory worth $112 million;
- 29 in Victoria worth $122 million;
- 28 in South Australia worth $106 million;
- 23 in Western Australia worth $71 million
