Government to invest $875m on ADF bases

The money, which will also be spent on locations such as ports, barracks and training areas, will support a total of 234 projects, including:

• 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; and
• 23 in Western Australia worth $71 million.

In announcing this latest $875 million pledge at RAAF Base Pearce in Perth — which comes just days after $244 million was committed for upgrades to RAAF Base Curtin — Minister for Defence Peter Dutton said it represents the biggest investment in the Estate Works Program since the contract began in 2014, adding it would support the $38 billion push to expand the Australian Defence Force by 30 per cent over the next 18 years.

“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 all 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.”

This nationwide overhaul of defence infrastructure also follows a visit from a US delegation, led by US Indo-Pacific Command’s Director for Logistics and Engineering, Brigadier General Jered Helwig, which has toured bases and facilities in Australia to advance commitments announced following the Australian-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) 2021.