15 April 2019

Labor Adopts Coalition Defence Industry Policy

Once again, Labor is trying to rebadge the Coalition’s policy as their own – this time, the Government’s Defence Policy for Industry Participation.

The Coalition Government’s Local Industry Capability Plan (LICP) is already delivering more jobs to regional Australia.

In August 2017, following consultation with local businesses, the Coalition Government launched the LICP pilot for defence infrastructure and facilities projects. The LICP provided greater opportunities for local tradies and suppliers to secure work as part of our massive defence infrastructure investment.

This program has been so successful that it has now been incorporated into the broader Defence Policy for Industry Participation, launched by the Minister for Defence Industry, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC, in Perth in March 2019.

For the first time ever, it is this Government who has put in place policies that are making it easier for local tradies and suppliers to get involved in Defence projects – both capability acquisition and infrastructure and facilities projects.

In Queensland and the Northern Territory alone we have seen companies tender for defence infrastructure work using over 80 per cent of their workforce from the nearby local region. Creating opportunities for local businesses and providing certainty for local jobs.

Over the last twelve months, as a result of the Coalition’s $200 billion investment in Defence capability, upwards of 990 subcontractors have been engaged on defence infrastructure and facilities projects, of which 714 have been local contractors, representing an achievement rate of 72 per cent of work and $1.7 billion going directly to local communities across Australia. A further 4,280 subcontractor packages have been identified that will see upwards of an additional $5.2 billion worth of work going to the local market place under this initiative alone.

Only the Morrison Government can be trusted to deliver defence capability and infrastructure. The Morrison Government is investing in Australia’s defence industry, creating a smarter and more skilled workforce and a stronger economy, while building our defence capability. This is in stark contrast to Labor who slashed the Defence budget to the lowest level since 1938 when they were last in government.

The Defence Policy for Industry Participation can be found here: http://www.defence.gov.au/SPI/Industry/Industry-Participation.asp

Ends.