Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

There are some important developments, in infrastructure in particular, at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia, at HMAS Coonawarra in the Northern Territory and at HMAS Cairns in Queensland.

The upgrade of those facilities, which will cost over $900 million, will include larger wharfage, logistic support infrastructure and capability-specific training facilities—particularly at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia, which will be the main support base. This is very good news for local construction firms and tradespeople, that will have an opportunity to participate in these upgrades—particularly under our new Local Industry Capability Plan policy. SMEs in those locations are able to participate also in the ongoing long-term support and sustainment of the new vessels at each of these locations. They are opportunities which will flow for decades to come.

These investments in WA, in the Northern Territory and in Queensland are a further demonstration of the government's commitment to ensuring that local communities benefit from our $200 billion investment in defence capability over the next decade.